A history of the Irish poor law, in connexion with the condition of the peopleNicholls, George, Sir
History
A history of the Irish poor law, in connexion with the condition of the people
Nicholls, George, Sir
Poor laws -- Ireland -- History
For effecting these several purposes, it is recommended that powers
should be vested in Poor Law Commissioners as in England, “for carrying
into execution all such provisions as shall be made by law for the
relief of the poor in Ireland, and that they shall be authorized to
appoint assistant-commissioners to act under their directions.” It is
proposed that the commissioners should divide the country into relief
districts, and cause the lands of each to be surveyed and valued, with
the names of all proprietors of houses or lands and of all lessees and
occupiers thereof, and the annual value of such houses and lands
respectively, the same to be lodged at such place within the district as
the commissioners shall appoint, and public notice thereof to be given.
It is also recommended that a board of guardians should be elected for
each district by the ratepayers, consisting of proprietors, lessees,
and occupiers, a certain number of the board to go out each year and
others to be elected in their stead. The board of guardians to have
the direction of all the institutions for the relief of the poor
within the district which are supported by local rates, and to cause
them to be duly upheld and maintained. If any district refuse or
neglect to appoint guardians, or when appointed if the guardians
refuse or neglect to act, the Poor Law Commissioners to be empowered
to appoint assistant-commissioners for such district with suitable
salaries, who are to exercise all the powers of the board of
guardians. The salaries to be paid by a rate on the district.
It is likewise proposed that there should be so many asylums in Ireland
for the relief and support of lunatics and idiots, and for the support
and instruction of the deaf and dumb and blind poor, so many depôts for
receiving persons willing to emigrate, and so many penitentiaries for
vagrants, as the Poor Law Commissioners shall appoint—that these several
establishments should be national, and that for maintaining them &c. the
commissioners should be empowered to rate the whole of Ireland, and to
require the boards of guardians to raise a proportional share thereof in
each district, according to the annual value of its property. It is
moreover recommended that there should be in each district an
institution for the support and relief of cripples, and persons
afflicted with epilepsy or other permanent disease; also an infirmary,
hospital and convalescent establishment, and such number of dispensaries
as may be necessary, the whole to be provided for by local assessment. A
loan fund administered according to regulations approved by the
commissioners, is likewise recommended to be established in every
district.
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