§ MR. JAMES O'KELLY (Roscommon, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether an inquiry was held in December last year, under the 917 Labourers Act, into a scheme submitted by the Boyle No. 1 District Council for the erection of labourers' cottages; whether the land on which it is proposed to build the cottages is being held over pending the decision of the Local Government Board; whether the Report of the latter upon the scheme has yet been submitted; and, if not, whether he can state the cause of the delay.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The scheme in this case embraced 448 plots of land and 408 cottages. Apart from the fact that the scheme was a very large one, some delay was caused by the fact that alternative sites were offered in a number of cases, and it was necessary that the written consents of the persons interested should be obtained. The inspector's order has now been signed, and copies will be sent to the council as soon as they are received from the printer.