HC Deb 24 August 1889 vol 340 cc453-4

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."

MR. SEXTON

I find that the constitution of the Board differs in some respects from the Board proposed by the Royal Commission, the recommendations of which Commission this Bill is supposed to carry out. The Commissioners proposed a Board of 12, of which five would be Catholics, and this Bill increases the number to 13, of which five will be Catholics. I would suggest that the Lord Mayor and High Sheriff of Dublin should be made ex officio members of the Board. Although the Catholics would still be in a minority, there would be something more like an equation. I object to saddling the Board with responsibility in regard to compensation without limiting their liability. Under the present proposal the sum intended for purely hospital uses would be eaten into by claims for compensation. I think the Treasury should themselves undertake this matter of compensation, and leave the hands of the Board free.

MR. MURPHY

In the negotiations which led up to the introduction of this Bill, it was understood, and in fact promised, that the Treasury would undertake the compensation of officials. The amount reaches a large sum, though I do not mean to raise any question of its being excessive, and I certainly think it is a question the Treasury should deal with, and not leave the compensation as a charge upon the reduced annual grant, which might thus be whittled down indefinitely.

MR. JACKSON

I should be very glad to carry the Bill through this Session, but I am afraid there is not much prospect of that. As to the question of the constitution of the Board, I hope we may be able to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion; but upon the question of finance, so far as I am concerned, I have never understood that as regards compensations or pensions there should be any alterations in the present position, but that the total grants under this Bill should take the place of the grants now annually made. It would have been unreasonable for the Treasury to have taken from the proposed Dublin Board the assessment of the compensations. It was only reasonable and natural that if the Board were to be charged with them they should have a voice in the matter. However, I understand now there is no objection to the Second Reading, and between this and Monday, when the Bill will come before Committee, I will consider the two questions raised by the right hon. Gentleman.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.