Congested Districts Board for Ireland
Encyclopedia
The Congested Districts Board for Ireland was established by the Chief Secretary, Arthur Balfour
in 1891 to alleviate poverty and "congested" living conditions in the west of Ireland
.
William Lawson Micks
worked with the Congested Districts Board (CDB) for the full term of its existence, first as Secretary and from 1909 as a member. The board was dissolved in 1923 and its staff was absorbed into the Irish Land Commission
when its functions were assumed by the Department of Fisheries and Rural Industries.
The CDB was part of the Conservative policy of 'Constructive Unionism' or 'killing Home Rule
with kindness'.
The purpose of the CDB was to alleviate poverty by paying for public works, such as building piers for small ports on the west coast, to assist fishing, modernising farming methods or sponsoring local factories to give employment and stop emigration from Ireland. Regions under the Board's authority were areas where the rateable valuation was less than 30 shillings. The entire area which was so categorised came to 3500000 acres (14,164 km²) in 1901 with a population of 500,000.
Funds for the CDB came from the Church of Ireland but by 1912, other funds had been allocated and its assets totalled £530,000 (equivalent to £40 million at 2010 values).
Following the Wyndham Act of 1903, the CDB was authorised to purchase extra land from large estates to enlarge the small holdings of tenants. In 1909, it was granted compulsory powers of purchase and began redistributing over 1,000 estates totalling 2000000 acres (8,093.7 km²).
It was acutely criticised by the nationalist Frank Hugh O'Donnell
in 1908. O'Donnell considered that the CDB that was run by local Catholic
priests, was not properly supervised by the government and was being used to fund church projects such as Industrial school
s where the young workers were underpaid. He felt that capital loaned to real businesses would be more effective than advancing the money to parish councils run by priests. He considered that the £100,000 paid to build St Eunan's College and the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba in Letterkenny
was too great a burden for its 2,000 inhabitants, and found that the CDB head Bishop O'Donnell had indirectly applied grants towards the buildings.
One legacy of the CDP was the Co-Operative Movement which was founded by Sir Horace Plunkett who had been shocked by his experiences working as a member of the first Board.
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
in 1891 to alleviate poverty and "congested" living conditions in the west of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
William Lawson Micks
William Lawson Micks
William Lawson Micks was an Irish politician.According to the 1911 census, he resided at 3 Palmerston Villas, Dublin and was the father of four children. He worked with the Congested Districts Board for Ireland for the full term of its existence, first as Secretary and from 1909 as a member...
worked with the Congested Districts Board (CDB) for the full term of its existence, first as Secretary and from 1909 as a member. The board was dissolved in 1923 and its staff was absorbed into the Irish Land Commission
Irish Land Commission
The Irish Land Commission was created in 1881 as a rent fixing commission by the Land Law Act 1881, also known as the second Irish Land Act...
when its functions were assumed by the Department of Fisheries and Rural Industries.
The CDB was part of the Conservative policy of 'Constructive Unionism' or 'killing Home Rule
Home Rule Movement
The All India Home Rule League was a national political organization founded in 1916 to lead the national demand for self-government, termed Home Rule, and to obtain the status of a Dominion within the British Empire as enjoyed by Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Newfoundland at the...
with kindness'.
The purpose of the CDB was to alleviate poverty by paying for public works, such as building piers for small ports on the west coast, to assist fishing, modernising farming methods or sponsoring local factories to give employment and stop emigration from Ireland. Regions under the Board's authority were areas where the rateable valuation was less than 30 shillings. The entire area which was so categorised came to 3500000 acres (14,164 km²) in 1901 with a population of 500,000.
Funds for the CDB came from the Church of Ireland but by 1912, other funds had been allocated and its assets totalled £530,000 (equivalent to £40 million at 2010 values).
Following the Wyndham Act of 1903, the CDB was authorised to purchase extra land from large estates to enlarge the small holdings of tenants. In 1909, it was granted compulsory powers of purchase and began redistributing over 1,000 estates totalling 2000000 acres (8,093.7 km²).
It was acutely criticised by the nationalist Frank Hugh O'Donnell
Frank Hugh O'Donnell
Frank Hugh O'Donnell , born Francis Hugh MacDonald was an Irish writer, journalist and nationalist politician.-Early life:...
in 1908. O'Donnell considered that the CDB that was run by local Catholic
Roman Catholicism in Ireland
The Catholic Church in Ireland is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, the Christian Church with full communion with the Pope, currently Benedict XVI...
priests, was not properly supervised by the government and was being used to fund church projects such as Industrial school
Industrial Schools in Ireland
Industrial Schools, were established in Ireland under the Industrial Schools Act of 1868 to care for "neglected, orphaned and abandoned children". By 1884, there were 5,049 children in such institutions throughout the country....
s where the young workers were underpaid. He felt that capital loaned to real businesses would be more effective than advancing the money to parish councils run by priests. He considered that the £100,000 paid to build St Eunan's College and the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba in Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
was too great a burden for its 2,000 inhabitants, and found that the CDB head Bishop O'Donnell had indirectly applied grants towards the buildings.
One legacy of the CDP was the Co-Operative Movement which was founded by Sir Horace Plunkett who had been shocked by his experiences working as a member of the first Board.
Sources
- (Disposal Of Funds) Regulations, 1928. Irish Statute Book.