§ Order of the day for the Second Reading read.
1121§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND (Lord ASHBOURNE)My Lords, I have to ask your Lordships to give a Second Reading to this Bill, which proposes to apply to Ireland some useful provisions of the law of this country, which have been in operation in England for some years. The first proposal of the Bill is that the Lord Lieutenant may, in addition to his power of absolute discharge, also discharge any criminal lunatic conditionally—that is to say, on such conditions as to the duration of such discharge and otherwise as the Lord Lieutenant may think fit. In Ireland we have felt the want of this power, which has been in operation in England for many years with great advantage. In Ireland criminal lunatics confined during the pleasure of the Lord Lieutenant can only be released absolutely without any condition whatever, and that sometimes leads to difficulties owing to the risk and danger involved. The second clause proposes to extend to Ireland certain sections relating to the ill treatment or abuse of lunatics which have already been substantially passed into law in England. Then there are certain sections, already in operation in England, making provision as to expenses of criminal and dangerous lunatics. In Ireland at the present time—this used to be the law in England, but it has been amended—the sole jurisdiction with respect to lunatics is vested in the Lord Chancellor; and the fourth clause of this Bill enables the Sovereign, as in England, to give authority to the Judges of the Supreme Court, such as the Master of the Rolls and the Lord Chief Justice, to deal with questions respecting lunatics. These, I think, are the only clauses I need refer to, and I hope your Lordships will give the Bill a Second Reading.
§ Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.