§ MR. D. SULLIVAN (Westmeath, S)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether he is aware that the medical officer of the Ballymahon Workhouse, County Longford, employed a woman as night nurse without the authority of the Guardians; that the Guardians, on being made aware of the circumstance at their weekly meeting, dismissed the woman and appointed another to look after the infirmary; and that the doctor, contrary to the Guardians' order, re-engaged the same woman; (2) will he state under what bye-law of the Local Government Acts the doctor has such power; and (3) whether at a recent meeting of the Guardians the doctor referred to was censured for the manner in which he acted towards the Sisters of Mercy who have charge of the patients in the workhouse infirmary?
MR. J. MORLEY(1) The facts are generally as stated in the first paragraph. (2) It is the duty of the medical officer to see that the patients are properly treated, and the Workhouse Rules provide that he shall give all necessary directions as to the treatment of sick paupers—directions the Master of the workhouse is bound to carry out. (3) The difficulty in the present case appears to arise from strained relations existing between the Nun in charge of the hospital and the medical officer, and the Guardians recently censured the medical officer for describing the Nun's conduct as unbecoming. The Local Government Board Inspector has been directed to personally inquire into the matter, and endeavour to secure that the officers of the workhouse shall act harmoniously together.