§ MR. NANNETTI () Dublin, College GreenTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has considered what will be the effect in Ireland of giving contracts to the lowest tender as provided under the provisions of Clauses 18, Sections (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), of the Local Government (Ireland) Amending Bill; and whether he has taken steps to secure the observance of the provisions of the Fair Wages Resolution as regards wages and conditions of labour; or, if not, in what way does he propose to safeguard the interests and prevent the sweating of workmen and boys employed on such contracts.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) The effect of the Clause is not correctly stated in the first part of the Question. Its object is to safeguard the interests of the ratepayers. There is no reason whatever to apprehend that the Clause will militate against the observance of the Fair Wages Resolution, which has been communicated to the local authorities. The Local Government Hoard has not, however, and never had, power to insist on the observance of the Resolution in contracts entered into by local bodies.