MR. PATRICK O'BRIENOn behalf of the hon. Member for West Water-ford, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, seeing that the period within which the Fishguard and Rosslare Railway Company was bound to proceed with the construction of the Cork and Fermoy direct line expired on August 1st, 1904, he will say what steps it is now proposed to take with regard to the sum of £93, 000 which the Treasury agreed to place at the disposal of the Hybrid Committee on the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Bill in 1898, to be applied towards some project calculated, in their view, to be beneficial to the South-East of Ireland.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Mr. VICTOR CAVENDISH,) Derbyshire, W.The period within which the Cork-Fermoy line should have been proceeded with expired as stated by 973 the hon. Member. As the grant of £93, 000 was conditional upon the completion of this line, there is now no question of its issue.