§ MR. JOYCE (Limerick)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he can state what was the amount of money expended in the year 1906 on lunatic asylums in Ireland; what portion of the sum wont to the upkeep of the inmates and what was the amount for administration; and can he also state what was the sum expended in the same year on the poor-houses in Ireland, differentiating in the same way between inmates and administration.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe expenditure upon lunatic asylums for the year ending 31st March, 1906, cannot yet be stated, as the audit for that year has not been completed. It will not be possible to differentiate between the expenditure upon inmates and administration, for 710 though the accounts will show the expenditure on salaries and pensions, they will not show the outlay upon food, etc., for the inmates arid staff separately. The total expenditure of boards of guardians for the same year was £1,285,989. Of this amount £460,016 was for in maintenance; £228,870 for out-relief, and £196,709 for salaries and rations. The balance fell under various heads.
§ MR. BIRRELLI am informed there will be no great delay.