§ MR. JOYCE (Limerick)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of a labourer named Thomas Ryan, of Lisnagry, county Limerick, who made application to the No. 1 District Council, Limerick, for a cottage on the lands of Mr. Robert L. Brown, at Lisnagry, the tenant being James Ryan, of Castle Connell; whether he is aware that an inquiry was held on oath at the Limerick Union in November, 1905; that the doctor of the district proved on oath at this inquiry that this labourer, Thomas Ryan, with his wife and seven children, lived in a house that was unfit for human habitation; and that the councillor for the district gave similar evidence, and will he say what objection, if any, was made, and who made it; and whether, under the circumstances, the Local Government Board will be instructed to press this matter so that this man may be enabled to get a decent shelter for his family.
MR. BRYCEI am informed that the facts are as stated. The application was opposed by the owner and occupier of the holding on which it was proposed to erect the cottage upon the grounds that the holding contained only twenty acres, and that the proper course would be to erect the cottage on the farm of seventeen acres upon which the applicant resides. The local district councillors, though supporting the application, assigned no reason why the council passed over the site on the holding upon which the labourer lives and chose a plot on a farm immediately adjoining, the occupier of which is a Mr. James Ryan. The inspector consequently recommended that the proposed site should not be authorised. A Provisional Order, authorising the council's scheme to the extent recommended by the inspector, has now been issued, and the Local Government Board are not empowered to add to it. There is, however, nothing to prevent a new scheme being made for giving the labourer a cottage, and I hope this may be promptly done.
§ MR. JOYCEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this particular tenant is farming fifty acres not far distant?