§ MR. O'MALLEY (Galway, Connemara)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the resolution of the Oughterard Rural District Council, passed on the 11th inst., in which it instated that the outbreak of typhus in the district was due to famine conditions rather than to the insanitary condition of the houses where the outbreak originated, as reported by the Local Government Board medical inspector; and whether he will institute adequate relief works to cope with the distress that prevails in the Oughterard union.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) According to the resolution referred to, the district council appear to consider that the fever is not due to the insanitary conditions described by the Local Government Board's inspectors, inasmuch as the same conditions have always prevailed in Oughterard. The Board, however, are satisfied that the contention of the council has no support. The state of things found by the inspector constitutes a perpetual menace to public health, and if district councils were to be absolved from all responsibility in cases in which insanitary conditions have existed for a long time there would be an end of sanitary reform in Ireland. The Local Government Board are entirely satisfied that there is no foundation for the suggestion that famine prevails in this union and has caused the outbreak of fever. The guardians are bound by law to keep their relieving officers in funds for the relief of all urgent cases. They are well aware of their statutory obligations and powers, and the Board cannot consider that they would be so oblivious of their duty to the destitute poor as to allow them to suffer from want of food to an extent which would cause famine fever. The Local Government Board have afforded through the spring months, and 1268 are still affording, employment to many hundreds of families in the poorest parts of this union where distress was apprehended, and the rates have thereby been relieved of a considerable burden. The Board are satisfied that the resources of the union will be ample to enable the guardians to provide any further relief that may be necessary.