§ MR. MEAGHERI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the county council of Kilkenny have on several occasions passed resolutions in favour of the amalgamation of some of the unions in the county; if so, what steps the Local Government Board for Ireland propose to take in the matter; and will ho state at what date the Report of the Viceregal Commission on Poor Law Reform may be published.
MR. BRYCEThe Local Government Board are not aware that the county council of Kilkenny have passed resolutions to the effect stated. The question of the amalgamation of unions is one of the matters dealt with by the Viceregal Commission whose Report is, I understand, in the printers' hands and is daily expected. The Local Government Board do not propose to take any stops in the matter until that Report has been received and considered.