HC Deb 20 May 1897 vol 49 cc908-9
MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he can state the facts that led up to the seizure of the Ballinamore Canal; whether there is any possibility of its redemption, considering that it forms an important link in the waterway from the north-western to the southwestern counties of Ireland, and in whose hands it now is vested; and, can he state the revenue, if any, derived from it?

THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. H. W. HANBUBY,) Preston

I regret that I cannot state the facts asked for, which led up to the seizure of this Canal—as it has never been seized. The facts as to its present abandoned condition, which are perhaps what the hon. Member desires to know, are these— It was finished in 1859 at a cost of £229,000. Of this sum the adjoining counties paid £30,000 and the remaining £199,000 was a free grant from the Exchequer. In 1860 it was handed over to local trustees. They advertised in vain for persons to establish boats upon it, and no use was made of it. Only five years later, in 1865, the Grand Jury of County Cavan formally "expressed their unanimous sense of the utter inutility of this Navigation" and earnestly hoped that the Board of Works would not oblige them to maintain it as it "had boon fully proved to be totally valueless to the County." From the first there was no traffic worth mentioning, and from 1865 it was allowed to go from bad to worse, until in 1882 the Royal Commission, appointed to inquire into the Navigation between Coleraine, Belfast, and Limerick declared that it was in a condition of absolute uselessness. They reported that, while it would be useful as an arterial drain, it would, if restored, be of little benefit to the public for navigation, there would be no profitable traffic on it, and the local ratepayers would not support it. It is still in the hands of the local trustees, and of course no revenue is derived from the Navigation.

MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)

Was not that canal charged against Ireland?

MR. HANBURY

That is another question. I cannot answer it now.