MR. O' MALLEY (Galway, Connemara)To ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), whether, in view of the fact that many of the convent and village lace industries of Ireland are not in a position to incur any serious financial outlay on their own behalf, and of the desirability that exists for encouraging this class of work amongst cottagers, His Majesty's Government will consider the advisability of taking steps to insure that these industries may be adequately represented at, and placed in a position to reap the advantages of participation in the Exhibition of British and Irish Lace which is to be held in London next month; and whether there are any public funds available that could be used for this purpose.
(Answered by Mr. T. W. Russell.) The Department have considered the matter, and do not propose to take part in the exhibition referred to. They do not think it necessary to afford any aid additional to that now rendered to lace industries in order to enable them to exhibit at the exhibition.