§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Chief Secretary whether a scheme formulated under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts by the North Dublin Rural District Council was lodged with the Local Government Board so far back as January, 1911, and a supplemental scheme in August of the same year; whether an inquiry has yet been held into those combined schemes or either of them by the Local Government Board; if not, what has been the cause of the delay; and whether, in view of the number of insanitary and overcrowded labourers' houses in the district, he will urge on the Board the necessity of taking action at an early date in this matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe scheme in question was made by the council on the 25th January, 1911, and lodged with the Local Government Board on the 4th April. The supplementary scheme was made on the 9th August, and lodged on the 5th November of the same year. These schemes have not yet been inquired into, and the council have been informed of the cause of the delay, namely, that schemes from other districts where the need for additional cottages is much greater must take precedence. No less than 552 cottages have already been provided in the North Dublin rural district, and if the entire 5¼ millions provided by the Labourers Acts of 1906 and 1911 were allocated amongst the several rural districts in Ireland in accordance with their respective valuations, the share of the North Dublin rural district would be much less than the amount of loans which the council have already obtained out of that fund. The schemes propose to provide 196 additional cottages,2274W but only eighty-five of these are based on the alleged unfitness of the applicants' existing dwellings. In the circumstances there appears to be no special reason for taking this case out of the ordinary course.