Captain CRAIGasked whether Sligo County Infirmary have applied to the Local Government Board under Clause 2 of The Local Government Amendment Act, 1902, to have their accounts audited, in consequence of being over a thousand pounds in debt; whether this action placed the infirmary under the control of the auditor of the Local Government Board; if so, would the salary of £80 per annum paid to the Roman Catholic chaplain be allowed; whether he could state if payments to chaplains were permitted in other similar institutions; whether he was aware that the governors recently appointed as matron a lady who has had no experience as a nurse; and whether the auditor appointed by the Local Government Board would inquire into the whole management of the infirmary and furnish the public with a report?
§ Mr. SCANLANfurther asked whether the debt of £1,000 referred to in the question was a debt contracted by the old grand jury and before the present authority came into existence?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that question.
§ Mr. REDMOND BARRYThe council of county Sligo and the joint committee of management of the county infirmary under the special provisions of the Section mentioned applied to the Local Government Board to have their accounts for the year ended 31st March, 1909, examined with a view to obtaining from one of the Board's auditors a certificate of the amount which would be necessary to meet a deficit in the funds of the infirmary. This application does not make the financial transactions of that institution subject to the control of the auditor. The Section referred to makes no provision for a statutory audit of the accounts, nor are committees of county infirmaries included 581 among the local authorities whose accounts are subject to the usual audit by the Board's auditors. The auditor will not inquire into the whole management of the institution. The Local Government Board have no information respecting the appointment and salaries of chaplains or matrons in connection with county infirmaries.