§ 95. Mr. O'DOWDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, seeing that the Government have given free Grants towards the construction of railway lines connecting the Wolfhill and Castlecomer collieries with the Great Southern and Western system, he will consider the advisability of giving a similar Grant towards the construction of a line from the Arigna coalfields to Collooney on the Midland and Great Southern railways?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe Board of Trade have exercised their powers under the Defence of the Realm Regulations for the construction of colliery railways at Wolfhill and Castlecomer and also at Arigna, but it is not considered practicable to undertake the extension to Collooney referred to in the last part of the question.
§ Mr. HOLTDo I understand that the Government has given gratuitous Grants to the railways because of these collieries, and the owners of the collieries get the advantage?
§ Mr. SHORTTmade a reply which was inaudible in the Reporters' Gallery.
§ Mr. O'DOWDIs it not a fact that Arigna is completely cut off from access to the mines, and if a company be established contributed to by the rates, will the Government consider giving it a free Grant to help the people of Arigna, who are cut off from fuel supply?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe Government will consider any application. This railway covers a much bigger population in wartime than in peace time.
§ 96. Mr. O'DOWDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that in 1903 a Treasury expert who visited the Arigna coalfields, situate in the counties of Sligo, Leitrim, and Roscommon, reported that the undeveloped portion of this region, situated in Geevagh, county Sligo, could alone produce 4,650,000 tons of coal besides millions of tons of iron; and, if so, whether, seeing that the counties of Sligo and Mayo are shut out from communication with these mines by want of railway facilities, he will devise some means by which the people of these counties may be facilitated in the matter of getting fuel?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe figures quoted represent Mr Rankin's estimate of the total quantity of unworked coal in the whole Arigna mining field, only a small portion 1936 of which is county Sligo. Mr. Rankin gave estimate of the amount of iron in the Arigna field, but he came to the conclusion that the iron ore in the district could not then (1903) be worked at a profit. So far as can be seen, the line at present under construction from Arigna will be capable of carrying much more than any output of coal immediately probable for some time to come from the district served by it, which includes the chief mine, actually beng worked.
§ Mr. O'DOWDIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the 3 miles of railway in course of construction is calculated to serve the northern counties, and places like Newcastle only, and not the people of Sligo, who are in need of it?
§ Mr. SHORTTI am not aware of that at all.
§ Mr. O'DOWDIt is so.