HC Deb 03 August 1904 vol 139 cc721-2
MR. JOSEPH DEVLIN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Cowan, the chief engineering inspector to the Local Government Board of Ireland, has reported that it would cost over £12,000 sterling to prepare between ninety and twenty miles of the existing public roads in the Derry No. 1 District for the running of motor vehicles, under the scheme of Lord Iveagh and the Right Hon. W. J. Pirrie, between Derry, Clandy, Park, and Fermoy; and that, in consequence of the cost, the scheme has been rejected by the Derry County Council; if so, will he state how many motors have been placed on the Irish roads up to the present under the Iveagh-Pirrie scheme, and at what cost to the several districts; and whether, in view of the cost which the scheme is likely to involve to the local ratepayers, he will refuse to accord it any further the support and co-operation of the Irish Administration.

MR. WYNDHAM

Mr. Cowan's Report was to the effect stated. The county surveyor also estimated the cost at over £12,000, and the county council declined to adopt his report on the ground that it "would effectually block any further consideration" of the motor-car scheme in the district. I may remind the hon. Member that, acting on a suggestion which had been made by the Galway County Council, the Government put on the Paper an Amendment to the Labourers Bill which would have enabled the whole or any part of the unexpended balance of a county's share in the Exchequer's contribution for labourers' cottages to be expended for particular purposes, such as the cost of schemes referred to in the Question. I understand that the county Antrim service will be opened at an early date.

MR. CULLINAN (Tipperary, S.)

May I ask whether, if the right hon. Gentleman expects the county councils to spend money for this purpose, he will lay before the ratepayers the probable benefits that will accrue from such expenditure?

MR. WYNDHAM

I understand the hon. Member thinks I ought to make some such statement.

MR. CULLINAN

I think so.

MR. WYNDHAM

I will consider what can be done.