I desire to ask the President a question of which I have given him private notice: Whether certain sums of money have been provided by the Imperial Parliament for the erection of houses in Ireland; whether a Trust has been set up to consist of a nominee of the Free State Government, a nominee of the Imperial Government, and a nominee of the Six County Government, to allocate and administer the same; whether the Free State and Six County Governments have made their respective nominations; whether the Imperial Government has yet done so, and, if not, whether, in view of the fact that schemes are already prepared in various parts of the country, and in view of the delay liable to be caused by the coming General Election in England, he will make immediate representations to the Imperial Government to nominate their Trust representative and thereby avoid any unnecessary delay in providing these houses for Irishmen and work for our unemployed.
PRIVATE NOTICE QUESTION. - HOUSES FOR IRISH EX-SERVICE MEN.
Under Section 3 of the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1922, a sum not exceeding £1,500,000 has been allocated for the purpose of providing in Ireland cottages for the accommodation of ex-Service men. This Fund will be administered by a body to be known as the Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Trust, which will consist of five members, of whom three are to be appointed by the British Government and one each by the Governments of the Free State and Northern Ireland.
Our representative has already been selected and representations have been made to the British Government to have the completion of the Trust expedited. It is understood that steps are at present being taken for the appointment of the remaining representatives, and it is expected that the personnel of the Trust will be completed very shortly.
In view of the pending dissolution of the British Parliament, may I ask if the President would consider the advisability of making further representations now?
I have no reason to anticipate that any delay will be caused by the forthcoming General Election, and we have already made a sufficient number of representations to warrant all the attention that can be given to the subject.