§ Mr. NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary on what date the Tralee Rural District Council acquired a half-acre plot on the Kilmurey estate, near Castleisland, county Kerry (townland of Tooreenagowan), under the Labourers Acts, and what the reason of the delay is in erecting the cottage, which was duly authorised; if he is aware that the Tralee Rural District Council declined to give Mr. P. Gun Mahony, who is a resident ratepayer and the owner of the property which was acquired for the erection of the cottage, any explanation of the delay in proceeding with the work of erecting the cottage; and if he is aware that the labourer for whom the plot of ground was acquired is obliged to live in a mud hovel owing to the neglect of the Tralee Rural District Council in erecting the cottage, which was duly authorised; and whether he will direct the attention of the Local Government Board for Ireland to the matter?
1054W
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe plot in question appears to have been acquired by the rural district council in 1909 or 1910. The council advertised on several occasions for contractors to build these and other cottages in the district, but without success. They have now directed their engineer to build this cottage by direct labour. This information has been communicated by the Local Government Board to Mr. Mahony in connection with a complaint made by him as to the action of the rural district council. The Board have no information as to the nature of the dwelling occupied by the labourer for whom this cottage is intended.
§ Mr. NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary what date the Tralee Rural District Council acquired a plot of ground on the Drummond estate (townland of Knockachur), near Castleisland, county Kerry, and the reason why the amount due for the purchase of the plot by the Tralee Rural District Council has not been paid; and if he will direct the attention of the Local Government Board for Ireland to this matter, and to the fact that the labourer for whom the cottage was required is obliged to live in a mud hovel owing to the neglect on the part of the Tralee Rural District Council to proceed with the building of the cottage, which was duly authorised?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe plot in question was acquired under Provisional Order dated the 12th August, 1908. The Local Government Board understand from the clerk of the rural district council that paying orders for the amount of the purchase money awarded at the arbitration have been issued, presented for payment, and cashed by the council's treasurer. The question of the erection of the cottages in this district is receiving the attention of the Board.