To be the founder of agricultural co-operation in Ireland was Sir Horace
Plunkett's first great achievement; the bringing together of the Recess
Committee was his second. He conceived the idea of inviting a number of
the most prominent men in Ireland, irrespective of religious or
political differences, to join in an inquiry into the means by which the
Government could best promote the development of the agricultural and
industrial resources of Ireland. This idea he propounded in an open
letter published in August, 1895. The proposal was a bold one--how bold
no one unacquainted with Ireland will easily realise. Amongst
Nationalist politicians the majority fought shy of it. Mr. Justin
McCarthy, the leader of the party, could only see in Sir Horace's letter
"the expression of a belief that if your policy could be successfully
carried out, the Irish people would cease to desire Home Rule." "I do
not feel," he added, "that I could possibly take part in any
organisation which had for its object the seeking of a substitute for
that which I believe to be Ireland's greatest need--Home Rule."
Fortunately, then as now, the Irish party was divided into two camps,
and Mr. Redmond, at the head of a small minority of "Independents," was
at liberty to take a different line. "I am unwilling," he wrote, "to
take the responsibility of declining to aid in any effort to promote
useful legislation in Ireland."
Ultimately, Sir Horace Plunkett's strong personality, his manifest
singleness of purpose, and the intrinsic merits of his proposal carried
the day. A committee, truly representative of all that was best in Irish
life, was brought together, and commissioners were despatched to the
Continent to report upon those systems of State aid linked with
voluntary organisation which appeared to have revolutionised agriculture
in countries not otherwise more favoured than Ireland itself. A large
mass of most valuable information was collected. In less than a year the
committee reported. The substance of the recommendation was
"That a Department of Government should be specially created, with
a minister directly responsible to Parliament at its head. The
Central Body was to be assisted by a Consultative Council
representative of the interests concerned. The Department was to be
adequately endowed from the Imperial Treasury, and was to
administer State aid to agriculture and industries in Ireland upon
principles which were fully described."[71]
With the general policy of these recommendations the Irish Government
were in hearty sympathy, and the Bill of 1897, already referred to, was
a first attempt to give effect to it. But in the absence of popularly
elected local authorities an important part of the machinery for
carrying out the proposals was wanting.