§ MR. O'DOWD (Sligo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, seeing that the work of the various public bodies created by the Local Government Act of 1898 is often needlessly hampered by the rulings of the Local Government Board, the Government will consider the advisability of widening the constitution of that body and introducing into it some element of popular representation.
MR. BRYCEIt cannot be admitted that the work of public bodies is needlessly hampered by the Local Government Board. The hon. Member is probably thinking of cases in which the Board, in virtue of their statutory obligations, have necessarily to interfere with the action of local bodies. I am not at present prepared to make any statement on the point mentioned in the latter part of the Question.