§ MR. J. P. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the particular act of insubordination James McKeough, the late shoemaker attendant of His Majesty's Asylum, Dundrum, was guilty of, and the date on which it occurred, the particular duties he failed to perform, and on what dates; will he explain why McKeough was not communicated with and his version of the facts taken; and whether, in view of the fact that on August 14th, 1905,McKeough received material evidence in writing as to the means used to have him dismissed his position, he will grant an impartial inquiry at which McKeough will be present to enable him to clear his character.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed that this man was dismissed in 1903, by order of the then Lord-Lieutenant, for insubordinate conduct and failure to satisfactorily discharge his duties. Before he was discharged, three separate inquiries on oath with reference to his conduct were held by the inspectors of lunatic asylums, at each of which he was afforded a full opportunity of defending himself. As a result of the third inquiry he was, by order of the Lord-Lieutenant, called upon to resign, and, having refused to do so, was dismissed. I do not think it desirable to re-open the consideration of a case which was disposed of three years ago by the Government of the day.