§ LORD BALCARRESI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the famous Gibbons ceiling in the Royal Hospital, Dublin, has been condemned as 1517 unsafe; and, if so, what steps are being taken to strengthen it without impairing its original character.
§ MR. HANBURYI understand that the ceiling of the Royal Hospital Chapel is unsafe, and that it has been found necessary to suspend holding of divine service in the building. The ceiling will not be removed unless upon investigation, which is in progress, it is shown that it is impracticable to render it secure. I may mention that it became necessary to restore the roof of the chapel in 1891–2, and that in order to do this without interfering with the ceiling it was necessary to attach the joists carrying the latter to the new roof. This was done with every care. The ceiling had previously been for some time in an unsatisfactory condition and was under frequent examination. Ornaments forming part of it had been falling and it had been found necessary to remove some and secure others. The condition of the ceiling was partly the result of the state of the old roof and partly of natural decay caused by age and of the character of the ornamentation, a great part of which was in high relief and highly undercut. The renewal of the roof tended to prolong the life of the ceiling.