§ DR. KENNY (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant (c)f Ireland whether he is aware that for the past 60 years the medical officer of the Stradone Dispensary District, Cavan Union, has always resided in the town of Cavan, which is adjacent to borders of district; and that the present medical officer of said district of Stradone, Dr. James Mathews, has resided, since appointment 23 years ago, in Cavan, as his predecessors did; whether recently Dr. Mathews has, on the Report of the Local Government Board Inspector, Dr. Clibborn, been directed to take up his residence within the Stradone district; whether any neglect of duty on the part of Dr. Mathews was alleged by either the Inspector or the Local Government Board as the cause of the change; whether any serious charge of neglect has ever been made against Dr. Mathews; whether it is alleged that his residence in Cavan has caused any practical inconvenience to the poor of Stradone district requiring his services; whether he is aware that there is within the Stradone district no suitable residence for the doctor with his family; whether the Guardians of the Cavan Union and also the members of the Stradone Dispensary Committee have, on several occasions, remonstrated with the Local Government Board against the order of that body in reference to Dr. Mathews; and whether, if the facts are substantially as stated in the question, he will request the Local Government Board to reconsider their order with reference to Dr. Mathews?
MR. J. MORLEYThe statements in the first and second paragraphs appear to be substantially correct. There being, however, no suitable residence for Dr. Mathews in his district the Local Government Board assented to his residing in Cavan until such time as he could take up his residence in the district. This he agreed to do. No complaints of neglect of duty on the part of Dr. Mathews have been Drought to the knowledge of the Board. It is obviously inconvenient for the sick poor requiring the attendance of the doctor to have to travel to Cavan, which is five miles from 139 Stradone Dispensary and seven miles from the furthest portion of the district. The Guardians and Dispensary Committee have expressed themselves satisfied that the doctor should reside in Cavan, and he continues to reside there in pursuance of the arrangement to which I have referred, and to which he has agreed—namely, that he would take up his residence in the district as soon as he could procure a suitable residence therein.