§ MR. CRILLY (Mayo, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if ho has received a resolution adopted by the Belmullet Rural District Council, on 21st July, in which a resolution previously 945 passed by the Mayo County Council was unanimously endorsed, calling on the Government to construct a line of railway to Belmullet for the purpose of developing the industries and resources of the localities through which the proposed railway would pass; if he knows from personal acquaintance with the districts around Belmullet that such a railway would be of advantage to the commercial and industrial needs of the people of that union, as well as to the people of the neighbouring unions; and if, seeing the want of adequate means of transit in the unions in question, he can hold out any hope that the Government will proceed in the direction indicated by the resolutions of the Belmullet Rural District Council and the Mayo County Council.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe resolution referred to has been received, but there is no money available for the purpose, and I am not in a position to hold out any hopes on the subject. I may remind the hon. Member that the question of railway communication to Belmullet was carefully considered some years ago, and that the Government, while unable to approve of the application of funds for the construction of a railway, have established steamship communication between Belmullet and Sligo.