§ MR. KETTLE (Tyrone, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland how many libraries have been established in Ireland by local authorities under the Acts of 1855 and 1902.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I am not in a position to furnish a complete Answer to the Question. The Local Government Board have a record of the cases in which loans have been sanctioned for the erection of libraries since 1900, in which year the power of sanctioning such loans was given to the Board. In many cases libraries have been erected by private beneficence and no loan was necessary.