§ MR. DUFFY (Galway, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he received a Resolution from the County Council of Galway respecting the extension of the works to be carried out in Kinvara Harbour; whether he is aware that an understanding has been arrived at between the county council and the Board of Works, which makes it possible for the works to be commenced at once; whether he will communicate with the Department of Agriculture and the Congested Districts Board with a view of having the grants promised by them placed immediately at the disposal of the county council; and whether, in view of the urgency of the works and the need of finding employment for the poor, he will take immediate steps to give effect to the Resolution of the county council.
MR. BRYCEThe Irish Government have received the Resolution in question, and have obtained a report on the subject from the Board of Works. The Resolution appears to be bused on an erroneous assumption that the works to which it refers are to be executed under the Marine Works Act. The works under that Act have been completed at a smaller cost than was originally estimated, and the arrangement between the county council and the Board of Works has reference to the apportionment of the cost of those works. A project for certain other works has been undertaken by the county council with the assistance of contributions from the Department of Agriculture and the Congested Districts Board, and it appears to be the desire of 317 the county council that the saving on the works already completed under the Marine Works Act should be applied to the new works which are not to be executed under that Act. This, however, cannot legally be done, as I informed the hon. Member on 28th June last † The main difficulty which has arisen in regard to the additional works relates to the fact that under the existing law the county council have no power to provide their share of the funds. As I stated earlier in the session, the Government are prepared to propose legislation which would remove the difficulty, but in the present state of public business I cannot name a date for the introduction of the Bill.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDWill the right hon. Gentleman introduce a Bill to authorise this work? Nobody in the world would think of opposing it.
MR. BRYGEI am considering the desirability of that, but my experience in the past is not very encouraging.