§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSS (Lancashire, S.W., Newton)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Government are taking any steps to carry out the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Irish Prisons as to the further consolidation of Prisons in Ireland?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I understand that the comprehensive scheme of the Prisons Board for the consolidation 1161 of the Irish prisons will be laid before the Government in a few days. In the meantime, with the view of facilitating the arrangements, orders have been passed for closing altogether the prison at Lifford; Mullingar Prison has been reduced to the status of a minor prison; Downpatrick Prison has been closed wholly as a local prison, and reserved exclusively for convicts; and Naas has been closed as a civil prison, and will be handed over to the Military Authorities for their purposes.