HC Deb 07 November 1906 vol 164 cc564-5
MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that it is proposed to build the Royal College of Science in Dublin of stone imported from England; and, if so, whether he will arrange to have the stone from Clare, Donegal, and other portions of Ireland, used in this now public building in order to help industry in Ireland.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Mr. MCKENNA, Monmouthshire, N.)

I am informed that the brick and stone now being used in the construction of the lower storey of the new Royal College of Science, Dublin, are exclusively of Irish production. The designs and specification for the remainder of the building are not yet complete, but as I stated in reply to a Question of the hon. Member for Cork of the 2nd April last,† the architects of the building have made a special study of Irish building materials, and have come to the conclusion that, subject to prices being satisfactory, large quantities of them can be used in the building. The experience since gained in the construction of the lower storey justifies, I believe, the anticipation that, subject to satisfactory prices and delivery, large quantities of Irish brick and stone will be used in the superstructure.

MR. MOONEY (Newry)

Was it not in the case of this building that the Government selected an English architect on the ground that there was no Irish architect able to fill the post, and has he not put up schools which contain no provision whatever for technical education?

MR. MCKENNA

asked for notice of the Question.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

Are we to understand that subject to the prices and deliveries being equally good Irish stone and not English stone will be used?

MR. MCKENNA

Certainly; but Irish stone cannot be exclusively used. In the lower parts Irish stone and brick is exclusively used; in the upper stories it is used as far as possible, but there is a particular kind of stone used there which is not obtainable in Ireland.

MR. JOYCE (Limerick)

It wants a good foundation at any rate. † See (4) Debates, clv., 156.