§ Sir H. W. Barronwished to ask, whether 1066 the Government, after all the reports which had been made, and discussions which had taken place, for the last twenty-five years, was prepared to bring in any measure for remedying the gross abuses of the Ecclesiastical Courts in Ireland.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, that the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts in Ireland properly belonged to the Lord Primate. But the Lord Primate had stated, when the vacancy occurred last year in the Judgeship of the Prerogative Court, that he was perfectly ready to waive his right to the appointment, and leave it to the nomination of the Government. When that appointment was made by the Government it was accompanied by a distinct stipulation that it was subject to any alterations that might be made in the constitution of the Court, and if there should be an increase of duties thrown upon that officer, he was not to be entitled to an increase of salary. That appointment was made towards the close of last Session, and that functionary was now in communication with the Government on the subject of projected alterations in the Ecclesiastical Courts.