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Distress In Knock South, County Mayo

Volume 34: debated on Monday 17 June 1895

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I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has again been called to the distressed condition of Knock South, County Mayo; can he state how many families the Local Government Board inspector inspected on his third visit to this district, on the 11th instant, and did he find them to be in need of relief; if so, why the only provision made for these people was to instruct the relieving officer to put them on the outdoor relief list; whether, when the inspector visited the townland of Coogna, he found there 12 families in a condition bordering on starvation, and has he reported that the people in those districts are anxious to be afforded an opportunity to earn the means of obtaining support by working on the neighbouring public works for 1s. a day; and whether he will endeavour to obtain funds for the relief of this distress, and enable these people to tide over the present season of scarcity?

My attention was recently again drawn by a communication received from the hon. Gentleman, to the alleged existence of distress in this district. The Local Government Board inspector visited a considerable number of families in the district on the 11th instant, but he cannot state the exact number. In addition to others, the inspector visited eight houses, the occupiers of which were stated by the relieving officer to be poor. The inspector recommended the relieving officer to afford provisional relief in three of these cases only. The inspector reports he found no families bordering on a condition of starvation, and that there is no indication of the existence of acute distress in the district. Upon the information before the Local Government Board they are unable to recommend the opening of relief works in this locality.

asked, whether he was to understand that while the Government could not find money to relieve distress in Ireland they were about to expend £500 on a statue of Oliver Cromwell?

said, that if there were such distress in any part of Ireland as would justify relief, the money to relieve that distress would be found.

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman would expend the £500 the Government asked for in respect of the statue in relieving the distress to which his attention had been directed?

[No answer was given to the question.]