§ MR. JOHN ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether he is aware that, at the Presentment Sessions held at Woodford for the Barony of Leitrim in November 1895, a road from Woodford to Derrygoolin was unanimously approved of at a cost of £1,000, being the Estimate of the Congested Districts Board Inspector, and also of the county surveyor, £500 to be given by Congested Districts Board, and £500 to be levied off the barony; (2) whether he is aware that, although, the road would accommodate close on 100 families, the grand jury at assizes held last July, refused to sanction the road on the ground of expense, thereby depriving the district of the benefit of the road as well as of obtaining the grant of £500 offered by the Congested Districts Board; and (3) whether he will use his influence with the grand jury, with the object of having that 1024 body approve of the road; and, if not, will he, as a member of the Congested Districts Board, have the estimated amount required advanced from the funds at the disposal of the said Board?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds CentralThe facts are substantially as stated in the first and second paragraphs. With regard to the third paragraph, the approval or rejection of an undertaking of this kind rests entirely with the grand jury, over whom I have no means of exercising any control. The Congested Districts Board have already considered the question of advancing the entire estimated cost of the road, but have decided that they cannot contribute a larger grant than a sum of £500. The offer of the Board to the grand jury will remain open until the 31st December next.