§ MR. HAYDENI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been called to the resolution passed by the Delvin Rural District Council, on April 21st last, in reference to observations made by the Local Government inspector, at a recent inquiry under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts, to the effect that the Local Government Board would not sanction the building of houses for single men except under very special circumstances; if he is aware that a number of the applicants at the inquiry were unmarried men between twenty-one and thirty-five years of age, who mostly lived in overcrowded houses and were anxious to get cottages before getting married; and will he say if it is the rule or practice of the Local Government Board to refuse to sanction cottages for single men, and if he can state what statute sanctions such rule or practice.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe resolution has not been received. The fact that an applicant for a labourers cottage is unmarried is not a bar to the grant of a cottage if it be shown that other members of his family are living with, and dependent upon, him and that the house occupied by the family has been condemned as unfit for human habitation. Under the Labourers Act, local authorities are not bound to provide cottages for people about to marry.
§ MR. HAYDENBut have the Local Government Board given instructions to 1483 its inspectors, when holding inquiries, to reject the claims of unmarried men?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI must have notice of that.
§ MR. HAYDENIt is the very Question on the Paper.