§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork County, N.E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been directed to the inconvenience caused to members of the Urban District Council of Fermoy by the statutory obligation to hold their meetings at twelve o'clock noon on the first Monday of each month, which being a cattle fair day renders the attendance of members inconvenient and almost impossible, and whether, in view of the fact that under the provisions of the 1130 Local Government (Ireland) Act of 1898, county and borough councils possess the power of regulating their meetings, the Local Government Board will consider the case of Fermoy and sanction an alteration of the hour and day for meetings of the council to one to be approved of by the members.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe obligation to hold the meetings at the date and hour mentioned is, as stated, a statutory one. Legislation would, therefore, be necessary to effect an alteration. Any representations, however, that may be made indicating a consensus of opinion on the part of urban councils in favour of such an alteration will be considered in connection with further legislation at some future date.