§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the number of applications for labourers' cottages received by the Derry (No. 2) District Council, the number of applications sanctioned, and the number of cottages erected; and whether he is aware that this Council has kept back the building of labourers' cottages longer than any other Council in Ireland?
§ Mr. BIRRELLUnder the Labourers Act of 1906 the Council received representations alleging the need for 252 cottages, and made a scheme for 177 cottages, of which 136 were finally authorised. Some little delay arose after the arbitrator made his award in July last, but there has not been any extraordinary delay on the part of the local authority in carrying through their scheme. No cottages have as yet been erected, but tenders for a number of the authorised cottages have recently been accepted by the Council, and there is no reason to anticipate that there will be any delay in building.