§ MR. O'MALLEY (Galway, Connemara)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the alterations made in the Poor Law Superannuation (Ireland) Bill so far as the financial clauses of the Bill limiting the charges on the rates under its provisions to a farthing in the pound are concerned, and the increase in the amount of the officers' contributions from a stationary 2 per cent. to a graduated 2, 2½, and 3 per cent. deduction; and, if so, whether he can afford facilities for a discussion of the Bill during the present session of Parliament.
(Answered by Mr. Atkinson.) The Bill of this year differs in no material respect from the Bill of last year. The actuary, whose report upon the Bill of 1901 was presented to Parliament, considers that, even on the very favourable assumptions on which he based his report, a rate of one farthing in the pound on the valuations of the unions would be wholly inadequate to meet the liabilities of the fund proposed in the Bill. The question whether facilities will be afforded for discussing the Bill during the present session is properly one that should be addressed to the Prime Minister.