§ MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what is the total amount of the free grants of money that have been made to Ireland under the heads of Congested Districts Boards, Department 781 of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, piers, harbours and navigation since 1840, and other free grants, respectively.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The preparation of a statement of expenditure from State sources upon piers, harbours, and navigation works for the past sixty-seven years would involve the utmost labour, and I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by preparing such a statement unless corresponding statements were prepared for England and Scotland in order to permit of comparison. The sums spent by the Congested Districts Board and the Department of Agriculture can be ascertained from the Annual Reports of these bodies.