§ Mr. FIELDasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the reason why the Board of Works (Ireland) did not advertise for tenders to heat and ventilate the Law Library, Dublin; whether he is aware that the specification precluded Irish firms from tendering for the ventilation portion of the contract; whether he is aware that the Sirocco fan, patented by a Belfast firm, is acknowledged by experts to be most suitable for this class of building; and whether he can state if it is the practice of the Board of Works in Ireland to place contracts outside of Irish contractors without giving Irish contractors the opportunity of sending in tenders?
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§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe first part of the question has already been answered by me in reply to questions put to me on the 5th instant by the hon. Members for South Down and Mid-Armagh, to which I beg to refer the hon. Member. The answer to the second and fourth parts of the question is in the negative. In answer to the third part of the question, I am informed that the Sirocco Fan is a good one, but the question of what is the most suitable fan for a particular building must naturally be determined by the special circumstances of each case.