§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether any consultation has yet taken place between the Board of Works and the Consultative Committee nominated by the Royal Irish Academy and the Royal Society of Antiquaries as to the means to be taken to preserve the ruins of the ancient cathedral of St. Mel, at Ardagh, county Longford; whether a sealed order has been issued by the Local Government Board closing the graveyard in which the ruins stand; and will there be any effort made to ensure attention to this matter now that the fine weather is approaching, when work could be more easily undertaken?
§ MR. HANBURYNo meeting of the Ancient Monuments Committee has taken place since the date of my reply to a previous question on the subject a month ago, but it is expected that they will meet on the 4th proximo. The Local Government Board have postponed the question of closing the graveyard until September next. As previously stated, the ruins have not yet been vested by the Church Representative 750 Body in the Board of Works, and, as the Board believe that there is little, if anything, of architectural merit in the ruins, and that they are not being injured by the delay, they have not taken any action in the matter.