Under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts from 1883 Irish rural local authorities demolished or will demolish many of the primitive one-roomed “cabins” in which agricultural labourers had traditionally lived and rehoused their occupants in solid, simple “cottages” located along the roadsides.

We have obtained a copy of the recently published scheme by Parliament, initiated by Mr O’Shaughnessy, which provides details on the latest completed scheme for labourers’ cottages and plots in every union in Ireland. Here are some of the key figures for selected areas:

Croom:

• Out of the 100 cottages applied for, 52 were approved.
• There were 163 additional half-acres applied for, with 113 sanctioned.
• The total expenses for the scheme amounted to £9,909.
• This included £1,341 7s for cottages built and acquired.
• £2,390 for extra half-acres, including fencing.
• £4,900 for the construction of new cottages.
• £210 for the acquisition of existing houses.
• £207 for repairs to existing houses.
• £266 12s 9d for law costs.
• £444 0s 3d for miscellaneous expenses like advertising and preparation of provisional orders.

Kilmallock:

• There were 345 cottage applications, out of which 183 were sanctioned.
• The total cost of the scheme was £25,394.
• £3,076 was allocated for cottages built.
• £22,085 for the construction of new cottages.
• £443 for the acquisition of existing houses.
• £400 for repairs.
• £829 for law costs.
• £366 for engineering expenses.
• £292 for miscellaneous expenses.

Limerick No 1:

• 119 cottage applications were received, and 56 were approved.
• The scheme cost £7,751 13s 6d.
• £927 0s 3d was spent on cottages built and acquired.
• £5,102 8s 10d for new cottages.
• £349 10s 0d for the acquisition of existing houses.
• £358 for repairs.
• £369 8s 6d for law costs.
• £421 11s 11d for engineering expenses.
• £224 1s 0d for miscellaneous expenses.

Limerick No 2:

• 21 cottage applications were submitted, and 10 were sanctioned.
• The total cost of the scheme was £1,381 9s.
• £183 6d was allocated for cottages built and acquired.
• £1,038 9s 6d for repairs.
• £46 for law costs.
• £80 for engineering expenses.
• £33 13s 6d for miscellaneous expenses.

Newcastle West:

• 85 cottage applications were received, and 50 were approved.
• The scheme cost £8,142 7s 7d.
• £1,523 8s 7d was spent on cottages built and acquired.
• £5,946 12s 6d for the construction of new cottages.
• £303 0s 1d for law costs.
• £150 for engineering expenses.
• £219 6s 6d for miscellaneous expenses.

These figures provide an overview of the number of cottages applied for, the ones sanctioned, and the associated costs for different regions under the Labourers Act.

Limerick Echo – Tuesday 21 June 1904