§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the attention of the Board of Trade has recently been called to the fact that the Cork and Bandon Railway crosses a public highway at Rearour, county Cork, without either a bridge or a level crossing being provided, the roadway being closed by the railway fences, and the public have to cross by means of ordinary stiles; whether he is aware that the highway in question is the ordinary road for a number of families to church, and of their children to school, and has been so used continually since the railway was constructed about 40 years ago; whether the Railway Company has recently removed the stiles so as to make the road impassable; and, whether the Board of Trade intend to take any action in the matter, so as to compel the Company to provide either a level crossing or a foot bridge?
§ MR. RITCHIEYes, Sir, I have seen some correspondence with regard to this matter. The Board of Trade have no power to compel the Company to provide either a level crossing or a footbridge. As I understand it, the Company deny that there is any right of way across the line at the place in question, and this is, of course, a legal point which I cannot determine.