§ MR. MCHUGHI beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that nothing has been done for many years by his or any other Department of the Irish Government to assist in the development of the sea-fishing industry on the seaboard of County Sligo; whether he is aware that a fishing pier was started at Ballyconnell last year and that the work when half completed was stopped; and what does his Department propose to do in regard to this matter.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLThe Department have issued £145 by way of loan to the Sligo fishermen since 1899. The greater part of the Sligo seaboard is scheduled as congested. The Congested Districts Board inform me that they have expended upwards of £840 upon landing places within the scheduled area, in which, according to the last census there were only 167 fishermen, the sea fisheries being of small value. The Board have also issued loans amounting to £788 to assist fishermen in the same area. The Board did not commence the pier at 1348 Ballyconnell, but they expended £141 in clearing stones from the landing place.