§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)On behalf of the hon. 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 why the Report of the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries has not been presented, in accordance with the provisions of the 112th Section of 5 and 6 Vic. c. 106, which directs that they should, on or before the last day of January in each year, make a Report to the Lord Lieutenant, and submit a copy to both Houses of Parliament if then sitting, or within three weeks after the commencement of the next session; whether he can state when the Reports for 1898 will be presented; and whether he will take such steps as may be necessary to enforce a compliance with the Act in future.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe Report of the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries for 1898 will be presented to Parliament in a day or two. The reasons which prevent a compliance with the statutory requirement in regard to the period within which the annual Report of the Inspectors should be presented were explained by me in answer to a question put by the hon. and learned Member for North Louth on the 21st of February, 1898.