HC Deb 27 March 1913 vol 50 cc1810-2
17. Mr. STAVELEY-HILL

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) what inquiries were made by the Congested Districts Board into the reasons for not placing the name of Mr. Peirce Gun Mahony, of Kilmurry, Castleisland, on the list of members of the Castleisland parish committee, and why it took the Board from the 27th June, 1912, to the 27th January, 1913, a period of seven months, to investigate and decide that Mr. Mahony's name should be placed on the list of members; (2) what reply the Congested Districts Board received to their letter of the 27th January, 1913, to the chairman of the Castleisland parish committee; (3) what date the Congested Districts Board placed Mr. Mahony's name on the list of members; (4) what were the reasons given by the Castleisland parish committee for questioning the qualification of Mr. Peirce Gun Mahony, to be an ex-officio member of the Castleisland parish committee as a resident landlord within the meaning of the rules, whether the parish committee consulted the Congested Districts Board with regard to the matter, what opportunity was given to Mr. Mahony of stating his views; and (5) what date the Congested Districts Board first communicated with the Castleisland parish committee in respect of their omission to place on the list of ex-officio members the name of Mr. Peirce Gun Mahony, and to send him notices of the meetings; on what date the Castleisland parish committee replied, and if he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the correspondence between the Congested Districts Board for Ireland and the Castleisland parish committee in reference to this matter?

Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)

The Congested Districts Board do not make out lists of parish committees. Under their rules all resident landlords in a parish are ex-officio members of these committees, which are called into existence each spring for a few months to administer certain Grants. The Board having learnt that Mr. Mahony had not been summoned to committee meetings last year inquired on the 27th June as to the reason and received a reply on the 30th stating that there had been some doubt as to whether he was a resident landlord. The work of the committee for 1912 was then over, and on the 20th December last before the committee for 1913 had met, the Board were furnished with a list on which Mr. Mahony's name appeared. The matter having been thus settled there was nothing to consult him about. The Board on the 27th of January called the attention of the chairman of the committee to the hon. Member's question for the following day and received a reply promising that the matter would receive attention. I see no necessity whatever for laying any of the correspondence on the Table of the House.

22. Mr. STAVELEY-HILL

asked what are the qualifications of Mr. Brian O'Connor, J.P., of Castleisland, entitling him to be placed on the list of members of the Castleisland parish committee?

Mr. RUSSELL

Mr. Brian O'Connor being a magistrate residing within the parish of Castleisland is qualified to act as an ex-officio member of the parish committee.

23. Mr. STAVELEY-HILL

asked what were the qualifications of Mr. H. O'Connor, of the Fountain Bar, Castleisland, entitling him to be placed on the list of members of the Castleisland parish committee for the years 1911–12 and 1912–13?

Mr. RUSSELL

The name of Mr. H. O'Connor, of Fountain Bar, Castleisland, does not appear on the list of members of the Castleisland parish committee.