§ DR. KENNY (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that it is one of the regulations of the Royal University of Ireland that students of medicine before presenting themselves for examination for medical degrees must produce a certificate of attendance during 24 months at a general hospital containing at least 60 beds in constant occupation; and a certificate of attendance during three consecutive months in a fever hospital of repute, or in fever wards or a general hospital; whether he is aware that the rule of the College of Surgeons in Ireland is to require that the hospital for clinical instruction should contain 80 beds in constant occupation, and that, in consequence of the Report of the Queen's College Commission, various institutions in Galway were united with the Galway Hospital for the purpose of complying with this rule; whether he is aware that it is now proposed by the Galway College authorities to induce the Senate of the Royal University to recognise the Galway Hospital, formerly the Galway County Infirmary, as alone sufficient for clinical instruction, notwithstanding the fact that that hospital has been limited by the Governors to a maximum of 35 beds, and contains no beds for fever cases, and none for accidents; whether he can state the nature of the representations which induced the Senate of the Royal University to assent to the proposed change; by whom were the proposals made; and how it is proposed to 1033 make the Galway Hospital fulfil the conditions prescribed by the regulations; whether he is aware how hardly the proposed change will bear upon students studying in Galway; whether he will obtain the opinion of the General Medical Council on the matter; and whether he will institute an inquiry as to the cause of the proposed change, and exercise the authority of the Government to prevent it?
*MR. J. MORLEYThe President of the Queen's College, Galway, reports that the regulations of the Royal University are correctly stated in the first part of the question. He understands that, the rules of the College of Surgeons require the same number of beds as those of the Royal University—namely, 60. He is not aware of any combination of hospitals in Galway made in consequence of any Commission. In response to an application from the medical staff of the Galway hospital, not of the Queen's College authorities, the Senate of the Royal University, by Minute dated October. 27th, 1892, recognised that institution as a general hospital sufficient by itself to give clinical instruction. No limitation to 35 beds has been made. On the contrary, the Local Government Board has fixed the number of beds to be maintained at 60. There are no fever wards, but accident cases are at all times admitted. As already stated, the Senate, Royal University, recognised the Galway Hospital, on the application of its medical staff, and the President of the Queen's College states that the medical faculty of the College report to him that that hospital fulfils in every particular the requirements set forth in the regulations of the Royal University. From the foregoing explanation it would appear that the students of the Galway Medical School are under no disability as regards compliance with the regulations of the Royal University. And the matter does not appear to call for a reference to the General Medical Council.