HC Deb 13 April 1885 vol 296 cc1460-1
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Irish Government have considered an application made to them by the Catholic Bishop of Achonry, for a certificate to enable his Lordship to establish at Ballaghaderreen, county Mayo, an industrial school for female children, under the 13th section of the Act; whether it is the fact that no school for female children under the 13th section has yet been established in Ireland; whether, with regard to the one industrial school established in Ireland under the 13th section for boys, namely, the Kilmore Probationary School, the last detailed Report of the Inspector certifies that the boys in that institution are "very docile and attentive to all their duties," and are "exceptionally well conducted, honest, and truthful;" whether the Inspector, Sir John Lentargue, in his Annual Report for 1883, refers the decrease in the number of young boys admitted to reformatories to the working of the Kilmore School— The value of which institution is now becoming known, and is fully appreciated by those who understand the subject of penal repression; whether the Government have noted the opinion of the Inspector that the extension of the system adopted at Kilmore would be productive both of greater economy and of better moral results to the children; and, whether, having regard to the fact that the estimate for the current year makes provision for 361 additional children in Irish Industrial Schools, at a cost of £4,693, the Government will issue the certificate applied for by the Catholic Bishop of Achonry?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNEEMAN

There is already at Ballinasloe an industrial school available for the reception of 50 female juvenile offenders committed under the 13th section of the Act from all Ireland; and as I found on inquiry at the end of last year that there were only two inmates of that class in the school, I did not think a case had been made out for the issue of a certificate for another school of that character.

MR. SEXTON

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider the establishment of an ordinary industrial school?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

said, that question must stand over until next week, as their present powers were exhausted.