§ MR. STACPOOLEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, If, having regard to the conditional promise given on the 19th June, he can state whether, in the state of Public Business, it is the intention of the Government to deal with the subject of establishing a Royal residence in Ireland, with regard to which he (Mr. Stacpoole) had a Motion on the Paper for to-morrow night?
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, in reply, that the important question to which his hon. Friend had more than once called attention was first raised in recent times by the right hon. and learned Baronet the Member for Clare (Sir Colman O'Loghlen) in 1868, when the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Disraeli) opposite, then in office, stated that it was a proper subject for consideration, and he looked forward to the time when some measure on the subject might be adopted, and when some means would be found by which the personal feelings of attachment between the people of Ireland and the Grown might be strengthened. He fully agreed with the right hon. Gentleman on the expediency of dealing with this matter in a substantive manner, and since the present Go- 1342 vernment came into office it had not escaped their attention; but they thought that the time had not yet completely come for them to arrive at a practical conclusion. As recently as within the last few months they had had the matter before them, and had taken into view the various alternative methods by which it would be possible to proceed. They had also to consider the novelty of the question, and the duty of bringing it before Parliament whenever it was brought forward under circumstances most likely to insure a favourable and full consideration. At the present period of the Session, and in the present condition of Public Business, when the House was necessarily beginning to feel the sense of exhaustion caused by debates on questions of great public interest, the Government did not think that it would be possible with advantage to bring the matter before Parliament during what remained of the present Session, but they did look at it with a practical view, and it was their intention to take the earliest future opportunity of bringing the subject under the notice of Parliament which the state of Public Business might permit. He expressed a hope that his hon. Friend, who had given Notice of a Motion relative to this question for to-morrow night, would not bring forward the Motion, for it was evident that, if this matter was to be satisfactorily dealt with, so that whatever step adopted might have that gracious aspect which all would wish, it would be far better in the public interest that it should not be anticipated by a discussion in that House, raised at the instance of an independent Member. He thought that any such proceeding at this moment, instead of advancing, would rather tend to interpose difficulties in the way of the accomplishment of the object which his hon. Friend had in view.
§ MR. STACPOOLEsaid, he was placed in a difficulty by the answer just given to him, but he felt that he must bring forward, his Motion.
§ Afterwards—
§ MR. STACPOOLEstated that he had misunderstood the right hon. Gentleman, and as he was informed that the Govenment intended to bring the question before Parliament early next Session he would not bring forward his Motion.
MR. GLADSTONEI had better repeat for the full information of my hon. Friend the few words which it appears he did not catch. They were that subject to the reservation that we did not consider that the residue of the present Session would offer a proper opportunity of dealing with the matter, it was our intention to bring it before Parliament at the earliest opportunity which the state of Public Business would permit.