Final answer:
The narrator lists other solutions to Ireland's economic problems before dismissing them to highlight the absurdity of their own suggestion and force readers to contemplate real solutions, with option (a) being the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to why the narrator in a satirical work lists various alternative solutions to Ireland's economic troubles only to dismiss them in favor of their own proposal. The intention behind this literary device is to highlight the absurdity and the extreme nature of the narrator's actual suggestion.
By initially considering and then rejecting other potential expedients, the narrator aims to make their outrageous proposal seem more reasonable in contrast or show the desperation in seeking a solution, depending on the reader's interpretation.
The correct answer is option a: because it forces the reader to actually consider other ways to solve Ireland's economic issues. This tactic serves to engage the reader in actively thinking about the problem at hand rather than passively accepting the narrator's outlandish proposal.