§ 79. Mr. DUFFYasked the Chief Secretary (1) whether he will call the attention of the Congested Districts Boards to the rates charged for the conveyance of potatoes, etc., from Arran Isles, county Galway, to the city of Galway; is he aware that the steamship company refuses to weigh or give a receipt for potatoes delivered to the company at Kilronan; can he say if the Congested Districts Board, the Agricultural Department, the Irish Lights Board, and the General Post Office give a yearly Grant for the running of this steamer to Arran Isles; will he cause inquiry to the made from the shipping company why better facilities are not given for the marketing of the produce of the islands; (2) whether he is aware that complaints have been made by traders and others as to the high rates of freightage charged by the shipping company on the carriage of potatoes and other goods from Arran Isles, county Galway, to the city of Galway; is he aware that potatoes are one of the chief products of the island, and that a quantity of them at the present moment are practically useless to the people owing to the rate charged by the 42 shipping company for their carriage to Galway; and, having regard to the urgency of disposing of these potatoes at once, will be communicate with the Congested Districts Board and have arrangements made to enable these poor people to market immediately this perishable crop?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe rate charged by the Galway Bay Steamboat Company on potatoes is 5s. a ton between Arran and Galway. Inquiries are being made as to whether there has been any departure from this rate, and also with regard to the allegation that the company refuses to weigh or give receipts for potatoes delivered to them at Kilronan. The Congested Districts Board and the Post Office make yearly Grants towards the steamship service to the Arran Islands.