§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the architect to the Commissioners of Asylums for the Poor in Ireland, after his inspection of the Asylum at Monaghan in 1883, recommended to the Board of that Institution several important alterations in the construction of the buildings as necessary for the safety and comfort of the inmates; whether the recommendations of the official in question included the carrying of the several dividing walls of the different departments, which at present terminate at the ceilings, over the roofs, and the reconstruction of some of the ceilings, which are cracked and in danger of falling; whether the carrying of dividing walls over the roof is always insisted on by architects in similar and other public Institutions under Government control in England, as a precaution against the spread of fire; whether the Board of the Monaghan Asylum sanctioned the recommendations referred to, and received tenders for the execution of the works; and, whether they have yet carried out the alterations referred to; and, if not, whether he will explain why, and say whether he will cause 1731 them to be proceeded with without further delay?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W), in reply, said, he thought there must be some mistake in this matter. The Commissioners stated there was no record in their office of any such Report as that referred to in the Question. However, they would make further inquiries about it; and if they found that the works suggested were considered necessary, steps would be taken to have them carried out.