HC Deb 16 February 1882 vol 266 cc776-7
MR. R. POWER

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that Mr. Disney, Governor of Omagh Gaol, died in that building on the 8th inst. of malignant fever, caught during progress of endeavours to improve the bad sewerage of his residence within the prison; whether it is true that the former governor of the Gaol, and four of his children, also suffered from fever, and that his four children died; and, whether it is his intention to remove from Omagh Gaol the prisoners detained there under the Coercion Act?

MR. GRAY

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he has any information as to the sanitary condition of the other gaols in Ireland, especially Kilmainham, in which "suspects" are confined?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

, in reply, said, he was sorry to say it was true that Mr. Disney, the late Governor of Omagh Gaol, died in that prison of fever. The Governor's house, being in a defective state, had to be repaired, and Mr. Disney caught fever during the alterations. He could not learn whether the former Governor of the gaol suffered from fever. Three of his children died during the past 10 years. One died from croup; there was no record of what the other children died from. He had ascertained from the medical officer of the prison, and from the architect of the Prisons Board, that the portion of the prison in which the "suspects" were detained was healthy. In answer to the hon. Member for Carlow (Mr. Gray), he had to state that the sanitary arrangements in the portion of the prison of Kilmainham where the "suspects" were confined were perfectly good. There was an ample supply of water and good accommodation.

MR. R. POWER

said, that the right hon. Gentleman did not appear to understand the latter portion of his Question, as to whether it was the intention to remove from Omagh Gaol the prisoners detained under the Coercion Act?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

said, that from the Report made by the prison autho- rities as to that part of the prison, there did not appear to be any danger or present necessity for the removal of the prisoners.