§ MR. DALYI beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether he is aware that the medical superintendent of the Richmond Lunatic Asylum, Doctor Connolly Norman, has issued his yearly report, in which he states that out-nursing of some of the inmates would be beneficial to them as well as beneficial to the ratepayers; and whether he will inquire into the suggestions made by Doctor Connolly Norman as to the out-nursing of lunatics which seems to work so well in Belgium, Germany, and other countries, for a long time past.
§ MR. ATKINSONThe fact is not quite as represented in the first paragraph of the question. What Dr. Norman in his report stated was, that if the Committee of Management are satisfied that a system of out-nursing would be advantageous, he 714 has no doubt that such powers could be obtained as would permit of the carrying out of such arrangements as might commend themselves to the Committee as beneficial to the insane and economical to the ratepayers. I may point out that there is no power under the existing law to adopt the system of out-nursing, even if such a course were deemed advisable. The matter, however, is receiving the consideration of Government.