§ "£13,792, to complete the sum for salaries and expenses of temporary commissioners, committees, and special inquiries."
§
Vote agreed to.
£50,000, including grants in aid, in connection with the relief of distress in Ireland.
§ MR. DAVITTI rise, not with the intention of discussing this Vote at this late hour, having regard to the exhausted state in which the Committee 1340 must find itself after an almost continuous sitting for the last 48 hours, but I should like to find some opportunity of raising the question in a non-party spirit in order to discuss the subject of some permanent remedy for this recurring evil. I believe the opinions on these benches differ very little from the opinions held on the other side of the House with regard to this matter. We all agree that if a remedy can be found for this chronic distress it should be at once applied. I know that the right honourable Gentleman—and this is not the first time the observation has been made from these benches—has always shown a very keen and earnest sympathy with the condition of the people in the west of Ireland. If he will give us two or three hours on some available occasion before the Appropriation Bill comes up for discussion we will now allow this Vote to go. I sincerely hope that he will give a favourable response to this request. I would remind him, in this connection, that last year Irish Supply was discussed during four days, whereas during this Session we have only had three. Therefore I am not making, I hope, an unreasonable request when I suggest that in order to discuss this matter the right honourable Gentleman should give us two or three hours upon some convenient day.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI quite appreciate the spirit in which the honourable Member has made the observations to the Committee which have just fallen from him. It is perfectly true, as he has said, that last year Ireland had four days for Supply, and that this is only the end of the third day which has been allotted to the Irish Estimates during the Session. He is as well acquainted as I am, I think, with the present position of Supply, and he probably, therefore, knows that I cannot give any pledges with regard to further time for the Estimates other than those that I have already made to the House as to matters requiring general discussion; but I am not without hope that there may be some opportunity found for further discussion, and I confess that if we have a discussion for two or three hours in a purely non-party spirit upon so important 1341 and interesting a subject as the application of a permanent remedy to the evil of distress in the West of Ireland I myself should regard that time as well spent.
§ Mr. FLYNNIt would have been perfectly easy for us to have raised this matter in another form. We might have raised a discussion upon the Vote for the Congested Districts Board. I hope the right honourable Gentleman will see his way to give us some little more definite information as to the Congested Districts Board Vote being brought on at a time which will allow of ample discussion. I think, considering the way the other Votes have been allowed to pass, this is not an unreasonable request. If the right honourable Gentleman will give us some definite undertaking that before very long we shall have this opportunity it would give great satisfaction on this side of the House. Nothing has been more painful for us in connection with this distress than to have to make these appeals, whether in the form of questions or in Debate upon the Chief Secretary's salary. I hope the right honourable Gentleman will see his way to give some reasonable time for a general discussion.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI do not know that I can go beyond what I have already said—that I will endeavour, if I possibly can, to find an opportunity for the discussion.
§ Vote agreed to.