§ MR. NOLAN (Louth, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that representations have been made to the Local Government Board (Ireland) as to the existence of great distress in Drogheda through want of employment; whether he can state the number of working men out of employment there and the amount of the grant by the Local Government Board to the distress fund; and whether that amount is in proportion to the grants made in England in similar cases.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Drogheda Distress Committee have made representations to the Local Government Board that a large number of men in that town are in want of employment. The committee are giving employment to about 175 men. It is understood that they have a considerably larger list of persons eligible for work. The exact number is not known to the Local Government Board. A grant of £450 has been made to Drogheda by the Treasury out of the Parliamentary Vote, and of this £300 has been advanced by the Local Government Board to the distress committee. The question of 2368 making a further grant will be considered if the necessity arises. I have no information as to how this grant compares with the grants made in England.