asked the Minister for Local Government whether it is a fact that the Dublin Guardians have accepted liability for the maintenance, in St. Mary's Asylum for the Blind, of the child of a man who earns £5 5s. 0d. a week; whether the Minister will sanction this action, and whether he proposes to do anything to restrict the powers of the Dublin Guardians in the matter of giving indiscriminate relief.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - A CHILD'S MAINTENANCE.
A Relieving Officer of the Dublin Union received an application from a man to have his child placed in St. Mary's Catholic Asylum. He reported that the child's father was in receipt of £5 5s. 0d. per week. The Board at first refused the application. A notice of motion was put down, and after due notice carried by 20 votes to 8 rescinding the order of the Board. The proposal was that the father should pay half the cost of maintenance and the Guardians the other half. The Department of Local Government subsequently informed the Board that they did not consider the case one for assistance from the Guardians. Proposals for more effective control in administration of relief of this nature are at present before the Ministry.