§ MR. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the site for workmen's dwellings in St. Peter's Ward, Athlone, selected by the urban council and known as Dolan's site, has been condemned by the Local Government Board on the Report of Mr. Price on certain specified grounds; whether he is aware that this site was passed by the engineer of the council and that the grounds set forth by Mr. Price were refuted by Mr. Middleton, surveyor of Pembroke District Council, who reported most favourably on the site, and that Mr. Cowan, chief engineer to the Local Government Board, unofficially visited the site and stated he would not condemn it; and whether he will state why, in face of these facts, the Local Government Board persists in its objection to this site and prevents by so doing the erection of houses so much needed in the town of Athlone.
MR. BRYCEThe reply to the first inquiry is in the affirmative. It is the fact that the site in question was passed by the engineer of the council; and after the decision of the Local Government Board adverse to the site had been conveyed to the council, a communication was received from them stating the grounds upon which Mr. Middleton 1157 sought to controvert the report of the Board's Inspector, Mr. Price. The Board again carefully considered the matter, but saw no reason to alter their opinion as to the site. Mr. Cowan was not asked to report on the merits of the different sites concerned, and he has never reported regarding any of them. The council are not proceeding with the proposal to acquire Dolan's site, but have put forward another site concerning which a local inquiry was to have commenced yesterday.