§ THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)asked the 8 Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to observations made at Belfast on October 13 last by Mr. E. T. M'Carthy, R.M., on the hearing of the case of a destitute child named Mary M'Donnell, to the effect that from day to day proper cases for orders for admission of children to industrial schools come before the magistrates at Belfast, and the magistrates are obliged to send the children to the workhouse, or postpone the cases for want of room; also that the magistrates would do what they could to have increased accommodation provided; whether, after the child Mary M'Donnell had been committed to St. Patrick's Female Industrial School, the order was found to be inoperative, as no vacancy existed in the school; and, what decision has been come to upon the application of the Committee of the school (submitted to the Irish Government last August), requesting an increase in the number of children sanctioned by the certificate?
THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN)(who replied) said (Dublin University)The attention of the Irish Government has been called to a report of the case alluded to, which appeared in a local newspaper. An application has been received from the industrial school in question, and also from several other industrial schools, for an extension in the number of inmates chargeable against Imperial funds. These applications are receiving careful consideration.