§ MR. GRAYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, If he can state approximately the compound interest at three per cent. on the sum now proposed to be granted for the erection of a Science and Art Museum in Dublin, calculated from the date of the original payments by the Treasury of similar grants for England and Scotland respectively; and by how much, in each case in this calculation, the accumulated interest thus realised by the Treasury in consequence of the delay in the erection of the Museum in Dublin falls short of or exceeds the excess of the estimate for its erection, according to the present selected plan, and the limit fixed by the Treasury?
§ MR. COURTNEYI do not find it possible to make this comparison—first, because the Museums in London and Edinburgh are not yet finished; next, because a Museum in Dublin has been maintained for some years. But the 1398 best answer I can make to the hon. Gentleman's Question is to say that it is not yet three years since it was determined to build a new Museum in Dublin on a chosen site at the cost of £100,000; and if it could be admitted that there has been a delay of two years from causes for which the Treasury is not responsible, the accumulated compound interest would form but a small proportion of the excess referred to by the hon. Member.
§ MR. GRAYHas it not been decided for 10 years to spend £100,000 on a Museum in Dublin, whether as a new building or an addition to the old; and what would the interest on the difference come to in those three years?
§ MR. COURTNEYThe 10 years is not within my experience.