§ Mr. DONNELLYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that schemes devised by many rural district councils in Ireland during the last three or four years for the provision of labourers' cottages have not been proceeded with owing to lack of funds, and whether the necessary funds will now be procurable to proceed with these schemes?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Loans for the purpose of providing labourers' cottages are now available where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Local Government Board to be urgently required, for districts where the replacement of cottages condemned as unfit for human habitation has been postponed owing to the War. In certain cases also where there is an exceptional shortage of labourers' cottages, loans are also authorised to be issued provided that the Local Government Board are satisfied in all such cases that additional cottages are urgently required.