The most striking feature about this Vote is the increase in the appropriations-in-aid. The other items are pretty much the same as last year. This increase arises from the fact that last year it was anticipated that a number of patients in this asylum belonging to Northern Ireland would be re-transferred, and no appropriation was anticipated to pay for them. During the year, however, it transpired that these persons were not going to be re-transmitted to Northern Ireland. Accordingly, their full appropriation fee was paid, and we are taking credit for it again this year. The Northern Government pays all the expenses of their patients in Dundrum. There has been a certain amount of adverse criticism of this asylum on the grounds that the cost per patient is higher than that of the ordinary district mental hospital. This arises from the fact that it is in some respects a unique institution. It is a criminal institution having some of the aspects of a jail. The inmates are practically all criminals who are mentally deficient. Accordingly, the cost of administering and keeping up this institution is higher per head than in the ordinary mental hospitals. The number of patients is also much smaller than in any other asylum, and accordingly the overhead charges bear a much higher proportion than in any other asylum. That is the reason why the Vote seems rather high when compared with other district asylums.
