§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury could he state the existing situation with regard to grants or loans for piers in Ireland under the Board of Works; have applications from Whitestown, county Louth, and Blackrock, county Louth, for piers been under consideration for years; has a recent application been made for a pier from Aran Island, county Galway, in the success of which many Irish Members are interested: and what prospect exists that the funds, admittedly now on hand, will be forthwith applied in the most deserving localities?
§ MR. HANBURYThe only money available for this purpose is the balance of the fund created under the Sea Fisheries Act of 1883. A Return showing the operations carried out by means of that fund and the balance of money now available was recently ordered by the House, and will be issued immediately. The sum in hand amounts to over £16,000, and I understand that the question of its application has been, and still is, under the consideration of the Irish Government. As regards the particular cases to which the honourable Member refers, that of Whitestown has been considered; but the cost of the works required is so considerable that the inspectors of fisheries are unable to recommend that they should be undertaken at present. The special Commissioners appointed under the Fisheries Act of 1883 duly inquired into the case of Blackrock, but they did not include it in the list of their recommendations. The Board of Works have reported to the Irish Government upon the improvement desired for Kilronan Pier, Aran Island, and that case will, I presume, be considered in connection with the disposal of the available funds.