HC Deb 21 March 1918 vol 104 c1171
13. Captain SHEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, having regard to the urgency of the question of rehousing in Ireland and to the fact that steps are being taken to push this matter forward in Great Britain, that a Royal Commission has inquired into the needs of Scotland, and that national housing and town-planning conferences have been held in England, he will take steps to at once summon a national conference for Ireland to deal with this question in all its aspects, and to be thoroughly representative of Irish public bodies, labour organisations, and other interests concerned?

Mr. SAMUELS

I beg to refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply to his question on the 21st February. The Chief Secretary hopes to circulate a Report upon housing, and when the Report is published he has promised to consider whether the hon. Member's suggestion is practicable.

15. Mr. BYRNE

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he has received a scheme for dealing with the housing problem in the city of Dublin; if Mr. P. C. Cowan, chief engineering inspector of the Local Government; Board, has yet made his report; if he will state when it will be put into practice; and if he will see that this report shall not be pigeon-holed, as other equally important documents have been?

Mr. SAMUELS

The Chief Secretary has received the report referred to and is at present considering it.