Depopulation of Ireland.
Captain DONELAN (Cork Co., E.):
To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland whether his
attention has been directed to the
numbers of emigrants leaving Ireland
almost daily for America; and whether,
in view of the consequent depopulation
of the fact that farmers each year
experience greater difficulties in
working their farms owing to the
scarcity of labour, with a view to
provide a remedy, he will consider the
desirability of enlarging the
provisions dealing with the labourers
in the Irish Land Bill.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) There
has been a decrease, small but still
gratifying, in the number of emigrants
from Ireland during the first three
months of 1903 as compared with the
corresponding period of 1901 and 1902.
In the first quarter of 1901 the
figures were 4,974; in 1902, 4,395;
and during the past three months,
4,153. The second inquiry can more
properly be dealt with in Committee
on the Land Bill.
