§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, in reference to the refusal 1801W of the Development Fund Commissioners to endorse the recommendation of the Irish Department of Agriculture of a Grant of £11,000 for the improvement of the harbour of Skerries, county of Dublin, whether that refusal was the result of an unanimous decision; whether it was arrived at after a local investigation into the facts and circumstances of the case; if so, who held the investigation, from whom was evidence taken, and whether any notice was given to any person locally concerned of the holding of an inquiry into the matter; and whether, if no local investigation was made, such an investigation will now be held?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIn July, 1911, the vice-chairman and secretary of the Development Commissioners visited Skerries in company with a representative of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. No formal inquiry was held. The Commissioners declined to recommend a Grant of £11,000 for the improvement of the harbour at Skerries, on the grounds that there are no resident fishermen there, that the total value of the fish landed is only about £500 per annum, and that Howth is within easy reach. They do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by a local investigation.
§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, in reference to the fact that the Development Fund Commissioners, in recommending Grants for the improvement of harbours, had contemplated an expenditure in Ireland for that purpose of £50,000, while they had actually recommended an advance of over £100,000 for a similar purpose in Scotland; whether he will say on what principle the Commissioners proceeded in contemplating such an allocation of funds; and whether they were unanimous in their decision?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe hon. Member has been misinformed. If he will refer to page 46 of the Development Commissioners' second Annual Report, he will see that, in addition to a Grant of £50,000 for the development of fisheries and fishery harbours under the control of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, they are prepared to contemplate a Grant of £40,000 or £50,000 for similar purposes to the Congested Districts Board for Ireland.