MR. PATRICK O'BRIENOn behalf of the honourable Member for the St. Patrick Division, of Dublin I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can explain the reason why the Report of the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries is never presented to Parliament until nearly the close of the Session, while the Reports of the Commissioners in Scotland and England are all available much earlier; and whether he can state when the Report for Ireland for last year will be forthcoming?
§ MR. ATKINSONThe Report of the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries for 1897 was presented to Parliament on the 13th July, 1898. Its circulation is not a matter over which the Irish Government exercises any control. I have no information as to the presentation of the similar Reports for England and Scotland. Every 81 exertion is made by the inspectors in Ireland to complete their Report at as early a date as possible, and no avoidable delay is allowed to take place in laying it on the Table of the House.