§ M. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland can he indicate the districts to provide railway accommodation in which it is proposed to allocate any of the money voted last Session; and has he been able to include in this allocation any of the districts of the county Cavan which petitioned for railway facilities to develop local trade?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Centra)I do not think it would be expedient at the present moment to make any general announcement regarding the manner it is intended to allocate the moneys provided by the Railways (Ireland) Act of last year. I cannot however, hold out any hopes that lines 785 in the County Cavan will be included in I the allocation.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the sum of £600 is annually levied off the cesspayers of the County Cavan for the line from Crossdoney to Killes-handia by presentment of the Grand Jury, and against the will of the great majority of the cesspayers; and does he propose in cases of this sort to utilise any of the money voted by Parliament last Session for the relief of congested districts, by the building of railways in Ireland to relieve the people of such taxation?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThis line is part of the Midland Great Western system, and is worked by that company under the Act of 1881, 44th and 45th Vict., cap 97. I am aware that certain baronies in the county have guaranteed to pay to the company the sum of £600 annually towards the construction and maintenance of the line for a period of 35 years from its opening. The money provided for the construction of light railways and for other purposes by the Act of last Session could not be legally applied in relief of taxation in respect of railways already constructed.