§ Mr. HAVILAND-BURKEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the Tullamore Urban District Council recently obtained a Provisional Order authorising the acquisition of certain lands adjoining the town of Tullamore for the erection of artisans dwellings; that a petition having been lodged by Lady Emily Howard Bury, the owner in fee of such property, against such Provisional Order, the Local Government Board for Ireland then directed one of their inspectors, Mr. Richard Kelly, to hold a second inquiry; whether such procedure was usual in view of the fact that one of their inspectors had only reported in favour of the scheme and made a Provisional Order, after having held a full and exhaustive inquiry; and whether, having regard to the evidence given in both inquiries, particularly the medical officer's testimony that there are at the present time in Tullamore over 100 families living in houses unfit for human habitation, that the mortality rate from tubercular diseases in Tullamore was the third highest in Ireland, and that the necessity for the erection of artisans' dwellings in the interest of public health is imperative, he will recommend the Local Government Board for Ireland to dismiss the aforesaid petition and allow the Provisional Order already made to stand?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe facts are correctly stated in the first two paragraphs of the question. The Local Government Board712W considered it necessary, in view of the petition lodged against the inspector's order, to make further inquiry under Section 6 (4) (b) of the Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1906, as adapted for the purposes of the Housing Acts. The report on the second inquiry is at present under the consideration of the Board.