§ Mr. CRUMLEYasked the Chief Secretary if he can state the number of inspectors employed in the transit department under the Board of Agriculture in Ireland; whether it is part of their duties to attend fairs for the purpose of seeing that adequate facilities are provided for the loading of stock and of preventing unnecessary delay in conveying the same to their destination; and whether the inspectors reported the delay that occurred in the conveyance of pigs from Kildare railway station on the last fair day of that town, the 24th April?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere are five transit inspectors employed by the Department of Agriculture. Their duties include visiting and reporting on the arrangements in regard to live stock transit at railway stations and attending fairs when practicable. Kildare was not visited on 24th April. The inspectors had previously drawn attention to the limited accommodation for dealing with the animal traffic at this station, and the matter is at present under the consideration of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company.