§ DR. AMBROSETo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on 10th March, 1903, the Under-Secretary for Ireland informed the Mayo County Council that out of the £100,000 voted under the Marine Works (Ireland) Act, 1902, it was proposed to construct a harbour at Innishlyre, near Westport, country Mayo, at a total cost of £40,000, but that it would be necessary for the county council to levy a special county-at-large rate for the maintenance of harbour constable and other expenses; that a resolution agreeing to levy this special rate amounting to £3,840, was passed by the county council on 12th December, 1904; that the Under-Secretary informed the county council that a railway deviation, involving an expenditure of £38,000, would be constructed, that it was intended to connect Belmullet with the Midland Great Western Railway and to expend the sum of £24,000 on piers and jetties for that purpose out of unexpended balances under the Railways (Ireland) Act, 1896, and that, in addition to those inducements to the county council to levy the county-at-large special rate, the Under-Secretary 446 attended a meeting of the council on 15th October, 1904, and induced them to strike the necessary rate; is he aware that no attempt has since been made to construct those works; and will he say why the works have not been constructed and what has become of the promised grants.
§ (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I beg to refer the hon. Member to the answer which my predecessor gave to his Question on this subject on 29th October last.†It was a condition of the original scheme that the Midland Great Western Railway Company should contribute towards the cost of a railway connecting their line with the proposed harbour at Innishlyre. The company withdrew from the scheme before the present Government came into office, and the scheme was thereupon suspended.