§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether any district councils in Ireland have recently appointed as inspectors under the Cowsheds and Milkshops Order local sub-sanitary officers who also held the position of relieving officers, as well as other positions under the rural district councils; if so, can he give the names of the district councils, or of any one of them, who have made such appointments; and will he state whether the Local Government Board intend to give their sanction to appointments of this nature, in view of the fact that the time of these gentlemen ought to be already fully occupied if they are to efficiently perform the duties appertaining to the other offices held by them?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that in 68 districts the sanitary sub-officers, who frequently hold the position of relieving officers as well, have been appointed to act as inspectors of dairies. I am forwarding a list of these districts to the hon. Member. The Local Government Board consider it unnecessary to press local authorities to appoint separate inspecting officers of dairy premises in localities where the dairying industry does not assume large proportions. A sanitary sub-officer has opportunity of observing defects or insanitary conditions in dairy premises, and there is no reason to suppose that his time is so fully occupied with other official duties as to prevent his carrying out such inspections. Moreover, under the Board's Sanitary Orders of May, 1900, it already forms part of his duties in a district where 1391W no inspector of dairies has been appointed to inspect dairies, cowsheds, and milk-shops, and to report to the sanitary authority thereon. The sanction of the Board is only required so far as concerns the remuneration of officers under the Dairies Order.