asked the Minister for Finance whether he is yet in a position to state when compensation will be paid to Mr. J. J. Fox, and other residents of Rosslea, Clones, who were the victims of the Rosslea burnings in February, 1921.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - THE ROSSLEA BURNINGS (CLONES).
I regret that the negotiations which have been proceeding with the British Government regarding these cases have not yet been concluded.
Can the Minister say what is the reason for the abnormal delay that has taken place in these cases?
As I said before in the Dáil there has been no delay on our part. We submitted two alternative methods of dealing with this matter to the British Government a considerable time ago, and said that we were quite ready to agree to either of them. We have got no definite answer from the British Government. I cannot say what the delay on their side is due to but it is quite possibly due to negotiations being in progress between the British Government and the Northern Government.