§ MR. NOLAN (Louth, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Board of Works undertook to construct a pier at Clogher Head, in the County of Louth, at an estimated cost of £17,000, on condition that a sum of £4,250 was guaranteed locally; that the required local guarantee was given partly by the Grand Jury of Louth, partly by the Corporation of Drogheda, and partly by private benefactors; and that the construction of the pier was commenced and afterwards abandoned; and, seeing that the pier in its present state is useless, can he say why the work was suspended, and when it is likely to be recommenced.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe facts are correctly stated in the first part of the Question. The original design was 516 for a pier 270 feet long, with a cant or elbow 80 feet long. It was, however, carried out straight to a distance exceeding 350 feet. The question of the construction of a cant was referred to an eminent engineer, Sir Alexander Rendel, and he was of opinion that it would not make the harbour substantially safer or more accessible, or would have any beneficial effect at all proportionate to its cost. The work was not, therefore, undertaken, nor is it proposed to do so.