§ Colonel GRETTONasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if Kilmainham Hospital, Dublin, has been handed over to the Free State Government; if he is aware that Kilmainham Hospital was founded as a charitable institution and used very largely for that purpose, and that, notwithstanding, proposals have been made in the Irish Free State that the building should be taken over entirely for purposes of the Government; and will he take steps to preserve the charity for the purposes for which it was appointed?
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSAs regards the first and third parts of the question, the building is the property, not of the British Government, but of the Corporation of the Charity, and I understand that conversations are taking place between the Corporation and the Government of the Irish Free State with a view to the transfer of the property to that Government, subject to proper arrangements being made. The reply to the second part is in the affirmative. With regard to the last part, His Majesty's Government have every intention of safeguarding as far as possible the interests of the pensioners, and they believe that they can count on the cooperation of the Irish Free State in securing this object. They do not think, 739W however, that under present conditions a hospital of this character, which, though a charity is also an Army institution kept up practically at the expense of Army funds, can conveniently remain established in perpetuity in the Free State. They are therefore not prepared to oppose the desire of the Free State Government to use the buildings for other purposes. The precise arrangements which will be made are still under consideration.