§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether his attention has been directed to the filthy state of the Royal Canal from Mullingar to Dublin and Longford respectively; whether he is aware that large masses of weeds are growing over the water in many places, and that there is but one dredge boat to clean nearly 80 miles of canal; and, will he, in the interests of boat owners and traffic generally on the canal, direct the attention of the railway company who own the canal to this state of things, with a view of having it remedied?
§ *MR. RITCHIEI am informed by the Midland Great Western Railway Company that it is not the fact that the Royal Canal from Dublin to Mullingar and Longford is choked up with weeds and that traffic is thereby impeded. The Company state that all traffic wanting to pass is duly proceeding. They further state that there are eight gangs of men at work between Dublin and Longford—four of them weeding, two dredging and working the steam dredger, and two doing fencing and general work. If the hon. Gentleman will furnish me with details showing that the statement made to me is incorrect and that the allegations contained in the Question are well founded, I will order an Inquiry.
§ MR. J. P FARRELLsaid he would furnish particulars.