§ MR. BRUENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether any steps have been taken to close the Four Courts Marshalsea, Dublin; if not, whether it is the intention of Government to take such steps; and, whether any, and, if any, what opinion has been elicited from the inspectors of Prisons, Ireland, as to the expediency of closing the prison?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONin reply, said, that the Inspector of Prisons had recently called the attention of the Irish Government to the very small and diminishing number of persons in that prison, and to the very large prison staff in proportion to the number of prisoners. A scheme would be submitted for the closing of the prison; and although he was very doubtful whether at that period of the Session a Bill for the purpose could be passed, he would ask to be permitted to present the details of the scheme. He would very shortly state whether the Government could do anything that Session; but, in his opinion, it would certainly be desirable that next Session something should be done.