§ Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board of Ireland, in or about March, or April last, sent their steam drifters, the "Finn Ross" and "Calistoga," to Scotland to be overhauled, and placed a con- 536W tract in the same country for the building of a new steam drifter; whether they sought tenders for these works in Ireland; if not, what was the reason for passing over firms in Ireland competent to carry out this work; whether the Dublin Industrial Development Association had any communication with the Congested Districts Board on this subject; and why an explanation of the matter could not have been transmitted to them?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board inform me that the "Finn Ross" and the "Calistoga" were sent to Fraserburg for overhaul, as special facilities exist there for rapid and cheap work. The total cost of overhaul of both boats was £73 14s. 9d. The board placed with an Inverness firm a contract for a wooden steam drifter of a type suitable for their work. They also had a wooden steam drifter satisfactorily built at Arklow. Tenders were not invited on either occasion, as the Board knew the kind of boats wanted, what they ought to cost, and where they could be obtained. Tenders for large motor boats were issued to a number of shipbuilders in Great Britain and Ireland, and four were built in Ireland—one in Arklow, two at Baltimore, county Cork (in different yards), and one at Killybegs, county Donegal, in addition to those built in the Board's own yard at Meevagh, county Donegal. A tender was invited from a leading Southern Irish yard, but the estimate was very greatly in excess of the price that the Board were willing to pay. Ultimately the cost comes out of the pockets of the fishermen, and the Board are therefore bound to make the best bargain they can. A communication was received by the Board from the Irish Development Association and was duly acknowledged.