§ MR. CHARLES DEVLIN (Galway)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the resolutions adopted by various bodies in Ireland with respect to the charge upon the local rates incurred by reason of the upkeep of pauper lunatics in the asylums; whether he is aware that, in the case of Galway city and county, where the population can ill afford to bear heavy taxation, the cost of the maintenance of the county asylum exceeds the sum of £24,000 per annum; and whether, as the practice exists in other countries, it is possible to transfer this contribution to the general Government.
MR. BRYCEI have received various resolutions upon this subject. I am informed that a sum amounting approximately to £24,000 will be required in the coming financial year to meet the cost of maintaining the Galway city and county patients in the local district lunatic asylum. It is, however, to be borne in 1551 mind that a sum amounting to £8,800 will be contributed out of the Local Taxation Grant towards the cost in question. I have stated in reply to previous Questions that the system under which the Government contributes to the support of the lunatic poor is the same in Ireland as in England, and that there is no intention to introduce separate legislation on the subject for Ireland.