§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has boon directed to the paragraphs in the last Report of the Congested Districts Board, in which it is stated that the revenue at the disposal of the Board is only sufficient to enable them to deal with £140,000 worth of land in each year, and that among pressing requirements to enable them to carry on their work are an increase of income to enable them to meet the loss in dealing with poor estates and carrying out migration, and power to borrow money, to buy out interest in largo farms required for rearrangement and enlargement of holdings; and whether, in view of the unexpected delay in presenting the Report of the Congested Districts Commission, he will take steps to place a sum of money at the disposal of the Board sufficient to enable them to carry on their work during the coming year.
Mr. BRYCEThe Congested Districts Board at present hold property valued at more than a million and a quarter sterling, a considerable part of which it maybe found desirable to prepare for resale to the tenants before making further purchases. The Board's funds are for the present ample to enable them to deal with the lands on which improvements are being carried out. The questions of the provision of funds for the future, and generally of the effectual and expeditious execution of the work on which the Board is engaged, are now being considered by the Royal Commission. The question of adequate funds for the Board's operations next year will be considered when the Estimates for the coming financial year are being prepared.
§ MR. DILLONHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the fact that he himself signed a Report declaring it to be an urgent necessity that 359 the Board should get additional income in order to carry out pressing works and, if that were the case, is it now consistent for him to agree to the postponement of the matter until the Commission has reported?
MR. BRYCEI entirely agreed with the Report which has been referred to. It was a case of urgent necessity, but, as I have pointed out, the funds in hand are sufficient to carry out the works in hand. But of course the Report of the Commission would have an important bearing on the scheme for further operations.
§ MR. DILLONWill the right hon. Gentleman press on the Treasury the importance of not allowing operations of the Board, in this year of distress especially, to be arrested by a lack of funds pending the report of the Commission?
MR. BRYCECertainly Sir, I think it is the duty of the Irish Government to try and secure whatever funds the Board may require.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will inquire of the Royal Commission on Congestion in Ireland whether it intends to present immediately the evidence received up to this date.
MR. BRYCEThe first Report of the Royal Commission on Congestion in Ireland, with an appendix of the evidence taken in Dublin, was presented to Parliament on 27th November. The second Report, with an appendix of the evidence taken in Donegal, will, I am informed, be presented to Parliament in the course of next week. The evidence recently taken in London will follow in due course, but I understand that some time must elapse before it can be presented.