HC Deb 12 May 1892 vol 4 cc705-6
MR. MCCARTAN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been called to Colonel Spaight's Report on the state of Larne Workhouse, in which, among other complaints, he states that the cells for idiots were "awfully cold" during the winter, and were "most dangerous" to the patients, and also complained of the "scarcity of nurses," which was keenly felt in the infirmary; whether his attention has been called to a report in the Irish News of Thursday last of the proceedings at the last weekly meeting of the Larne Board of Guardians, wherein the Chairman is reported to have stated, regarding the last question asked on this subject, that the Clerk of the Union, in reply to the inquiry of the Local Government Board, had said "a whole lot and had given no answer at all," and moreover "that Dr. Rillen did certainly agree with the most of what Colonel Spaight complained of," and whether he will now state what were the complaints made by Colonel Spaight, and what steps have been taken to remedy the same?

MR. JACKSON

The Local Government Inspector reported that the cells for the idiots in Larne Workhouse were wretchedly cold; but he did not describe them as "most dangerous." He called attention to the infirmary nurse being left without sufficient assistance. The Clerk of the Union supplied the Board with all the information he was required to furnish. The Inspector also called attention to the absence of a bath in the hospital and to certain sanitary defects in the Workhouse. It is the case that the Medical Officer agreed generally with the Inspector. The Guardians have taken steps to obviate the insufficiency of assistance to the nurse and to remedy the other defects complained of, and the only question that now remains open is as regards the provision of a close range for the kitchen and the improvement of the quarters for the idiots. The Local Government Board have addressed the Guardians again on the latter point, and the letter was to have been before the Guardians yesterday.