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 is aware that the Bocarna Road, in the electoral division of Kilcaskin, Bantry Union, still requires to be extended to join with the recently constructed Mansion House relief road at Cooleragh; whether the Government some time since offered two-thirds of the cost, if the guardians would contribute the remaining third out of local rates; whether this arrangement can now be carried out; and will the Government initiate this much-needed work; and whether he is aware that this employment is urgently wanted owing to the labour strike in Wales?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI have no information as to the first paragraph. In January last the Government offered to afford financial aid to the Bantry guardians in relieving the poor if they would adopt a labour test, but the guardians declined to avail themselves of the offer. 1324 Most of the relief works in operation in the west of Ireland have been closed, and the Local Government Board cannot now authorise a board of guardians to institute a labour test. No representations have been made to me as to the absence of employment in Bantry owing to the labour strike in Wales.