HC Deb 05 May 1884 vol 287 cc1306-7
MR. O'BRIEN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is a fact that the Professor of Anatomy in the Queen's College, Cork, has, for the past two or three sessions, introduced a new rule, whereby he engages two students simultaneously in dissecting each part; whether this professor is making a profit of over £100 a-year out of the subjects supplied to the Cork Medical School, which is not included in the Return of class fees presented to Parliament; whether this course is legal, and will be permitted to continue; is it a fact that, when the new rule was first introduced, a requisition, signed by a large number of students (including graduates) of every religious denomination, was presented to the President of the College, asking him to permit a meeting to be convened within the College, to discuss the matter privately; did he refuse to do so, and threaten a member of the deputation who waited on him that, if the matter were brought before Parliament, he would be held responsible; and, will the Royal Commission be empowered to inquire into the above matters; and, if not, what steps will he take to investigate the complaints of the students?

MR. TREVELYAN

The Professor of Anatomy informs me that he has made no such rule; but that occasionally, as a matter of extreme necessity, the plan mentioned has been resorted to. The entire amount of the fees paid by students for attending at the Anatomical School is expended in connection with the support of the school, no portion whatever being retained by the Professor for his own use. These fees are not class fees, and, therefore, are not included in any Return of class fees. I have already stated, in reply to a former Question, that the reference to the Commission would include this subject. With regard to an alleged refusal on the part of the President to comply with a requisition, I have to point out that if the students have any matter of that kind to complain of, the College statutes provide them with a remedy by application to the Visitors.

MR. O'BRIEN

Is there any official supervision over the administration of those fees?

MR. TREVELYAN

There is the supervision of the authorities of the College. I have already said the subject is going before the Commission.