§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the railway constructed between Skibbereen and Baltimore, at a cost to the public purse of £56,000, for the development of the fishing industries, does not fulfil that purpose in consequence of not being extended to the deep water pier at Baltimore; and whether, in view of the fact that under the Fish-guard and Rosslare scheme advan- 930 tageous connections are about to be made by bridging the Lee at Cork between all the systems in the south of Ireland and certain English railway systems, the Government will give a grant of money to extend the Skibbereen railway to Baltimore deep water pier, in order that the fishing industry at Baltimore may have the advantage of access to British and Irish markets?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIt is not, I am informed, part of the work contemplated by the Fishguard and Rosslare Bill to bridge the Lee, and thus connect the West Cork railways with the English railway systems, but legislation with this object will, I understand, be sought by the promoters of the Bill next year. When such legislation has been obtained the question of aiding the carrying out of the project by moneys at the disposal of Government can then, if the Government think it expedient, be considered. There are at present no funds available for the purpose.