HC Deb 04 November 1909 vol 12 cc1979-80
Captain DONELAN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that attention has been drawn by the committee of the Cork District Lunatic Asylum to the present financial position of the Irish Local Taxation Account and to the fact that, unless a fresh grant is made, Sub-section 5 of Section 58 of the Local Government Act must shortly be enforced, thus involving an increased burden upon the local rates; whether he is aware that this would inflict a particular hardship upon the Cork district, inasmuch as it is the only district in Ireland which has provided an auxiliary asylum for its lunatic poor, and towards the maintenance of which the contribution from the Local Taxation Account is only 2s. per head per week, as against the full rate of 4s. in all the other districts; and what steps is it proposed to take with a view to supplement the existing grant?

Mr. CHERRY

My right hon. Friend has received several resolutions on this subject. As I have just pointed out, in reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for North Cork, the difficulty to which the hon. Member refers is not likely to arise in the immediate future. In any event, the Cork district would not, so far as I am aware, suffer more than other districts. Any abatement under the Sub-section in question would affect all asylums equally. I am not in a position at present to make any statement with regard to the concluding paragraph of the question.

Captain DONELAN

Is not it a fact that the Cork district alone possesses an auxiliary asylum towards which the grant in aid is only at the rate of 2s. a week?

Mr. CHERRY

I am quite sure that what the hon. and gallant Gentleman says is correct, but I am not aware of the fact myself.