§ MR. LUNDON (Limerick, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the sum of £1,596 6s. 7d. due for the maintenance of patients in the Limerick Lunatic 203 Asylum from the 1st of January, 1899, to the 31st March, 1899, and certified by the Local Government Auditor as due in respect of capitation grant for pauper lunatics maintained in the asylum for the period stated, will ultimately have to be paid out of the rates if the Treasury do not pay it; and, if so, seeing that these patients who are entitled to rate-in-aid will be entirely supported out of the local rates during the period stated, and that a similar state of things exists with regard to other lunatic asylums in Ireland entitled to this rate-in-aid, whether he will take steps for the payment of this capitation grant.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe question of the payment of the grant in aid of the maintenance of pauper lunatics for the period mentioned has formed the subject of correspondence between the Irish Government and the committee of management of the Limerick Asylum. I am afraid I cannot add to the views of Government already expressed.
§ MR. LUNDONWill the Gentleman take any this money paid?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe hon. Member misunderstands. The grant is always calculated on the figures of the preceding year. What has happened is this. The financial year, which ends in March, has been substituted for the calendar year, which ends in December, and the first quarter of 1900 takes the place of the first quarter of 1899. The figures of 1900 are more favourable, and the asylum has therefore gained by the change.
§ MR. CULLINAN (Tipperary, S.)Is there not a great deal of dissatisfaction among the Asylum Boards generally on this matter, and have not financial experts—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member is now entering on a debate.