§ MR. MEEHAN (Queen's County, Leix)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the medical evidence given before the Barrow Drainage Commission in 1885 by William Neale, M.D., medical officer, Mount-mellick dispensary district, to the effect that houses were annually rendered unfit for habitation, and whole families had to leave in flood times and were huddled together in most unsanitary houses, public health seriously injured, malaria and typhoid fever and diphtheria prevalent in consequence of the floods, and that no adequate sewerage for the town was possible, and the water supply was contaminated; and whether, having regard to the fact that the evils arising from the flooding have increased since this evidence was given twenty-two years ago, he will take steps to provide an effectual remedy.
§ The following Questions on the same subject also appeared on the Paper—
§ MR. MEEHANTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the Report of the Arterial Drainage Commission, dated 23rd February 1907, in which it is stated, pages 9 and 10, that for fifty years the state of the Barrow has been the subject of acute complaint, that nothing save the making of maps, plans and estimates has yet been done by the State or by any combination of owners towards curing or even mitigating the evils complained of, whilst they had abundant testimony that the flooding and consequent injury grow greater year by year, that the case of this river basin differs from others in Ireland, once similarly circumstanced, in that no expenditure by the State has ever taken place, although the task of clearing the main outfall is manifestly far beyond the reach of private enterprise, and that they therefore feel that the case of the Barrow calls for exceptional and early treatment, and the existence of surveys, maps and plans already referred to removes the difficulty that might otherwise exist in taking such action; and whether, in view of this declaration, he will provide an immediate remedy.
§ MR. MEEHANTo ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has 220 been called to the medical evidence given before the Barrow Drainage Commission, 1885, by Sir Francis P. M'Cabe, M.D., F.R.C.S.I., Local Government Board inspector, to the effect that the result of the flooding over an estimated area of 3,400 square miles was most injurious to the public health of the country, developed constitutional diseases, pulmonary phthisis, bronchial and catarrhal affections, acute and chronic rheumatism, and predisposed to lunacy, enteric and typhus fever, bog-lameness and chronic rheumatism in cattle, and fluke or liver rot in sheep; and, seeing that these evils have been in existence over fifty years and have increased since this evidence was given twenty-two years ago, whether he will provide any remedy.
§ MR. MEEHANTo ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has been to the Report of a Committee consisting of the Parliamentary and local representatives of Kildare, Carlow, King's and Queen's counties, formed to promote the drainage of the River Barrow, which Report was forwarded to him on the 16th June 1906; whether he is aware that in the Report of the Arterial Drainage Commission, dated 23rd February 1907, it is stated in reference to the Barrow that this river basin differs from others in Ireland, once similarly circumstanced, in that no expenditure by the State has ever taken place, although the task of clearing the main outfall is manifestly beyond private enterprise, and that the case of the Barrow calls for exceptional and early treatment; and whether he will provide the £50,000 asked for by the Committee.
MR. BIERELLI will answer all these Questions together. I regret that I can only repeat the Answer which I gave on 20th March to the hon. Member's previous Questions on this subject.† As he is aware, the Arterial Drainage Commission has only recently reported. The Appendix containing the evidence has not yet been presented to Parliament. It is, however, in the printer's hands and will shortly be ready. When the evidence has been received it will be necessary to consider the recommendations of the Commission as a whole in order to decide what legislation may be necessary, and this will take time. It is obvious that in
† See (4) Debates, clxxi., 823–6.221 the meantime it will not be possible or desirable to consider the question of undertaking a drainage scheme for the Barrow or any other particular river.
§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that no fewer than three Commissions have supported this recommendation, and cannot he do something to remedy the present state of things?
§ MR. BIRRELLI am not denying the importance of the question or that the Commissions have reported as stated. But the question is of such importance and involves so much expenditure that obviously I must take time to consider my decision.