§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been 672W drawn to a resolution adopted by the Rathdown Board of Guardians, county Dublin, to the effect that the Government be requested to introduce, during the present Session of Parliament, a Bill to amend Section 7 of the Irish Poor Law Amendment Act, 1862, so as to enable a board of guardians, on the recommendation of a medical officer, to send any poor person, whether an inmate of the workhouse or not, to an extern hospital for special treatment; whether he is aware that, by a recent legal decision in Ireland, the exercise of the power mentioned has been restricted to the case of inmates of a workhouse and excludes from the benefit of the Statute poor persons from outside who maybe admitted to the workhouse hospital and who ordinarily would be entitled to free medical attendance; and whether, in view of the fact that such a restriction can hardly have been contemplated at the time of the passing of the Act of 1862, the request of the Rathdown guardians will be complied with?
§ Mr. DUKEAs I informed the hon. Member for the Leix Division of Queen's County last Thursday, the representations which have been received as to the necessity for such an amendment of the law are being considered.