§ MR. LONSDALEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Agricultural Department have recently acquired land at Clonakilty, in the county of Cork, for an agricultural institution; if they have placed the contract for iron and other buildings with Messrs. Speir, of Glasgow; if so, how much land has been acquired, at what price, what is the amount of Messrs. Speirs contract, and why was the same not given to an Irish firm; and when the Department intend to make prevision for corresponding educational facilities in Armagh, Down, Antrim, or Londonderry.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe Department have not purchased any land at Clonakilty, but a farm of 347 acres has been placed at their disposal for the purposes of an agricultural station. A contract for iron buildings, amounting to £1,859, has been placed with the firm mentioned, whose offer the Department considered the best; and a contract for the remainder of the work, amounting to £483, has been given to a local contractor. The Department are not aware that there is any Irish firm which makes a speciality of the construction of iron buildings. Provision for agricultural instruction is being made at Ballyhaise, county Cavan, but the Department are at present unable to state when like provision will be made for the other Ulster counties named. The matter however, is engaging their attention, and they look forward to increasing in due time the number of these stations.