§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Can he state the proportion of Catholic and Protestant candidates examined, and the proportion of Catholic and Protestant Superintendents, under the Intermediate Education Act, and how many Protestant and how man Catholic clergymen have been employed as Superintendents since 1879?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Commissioners never make inquiry as to the religious profession of candidates, and do not consider themselves empowered to do so. I have been informed that the Board endeavour to equalize the numbers of Protestants and Catholics as Centre Superintendents, and that they believe themselves to have succeeded in doing so. With regard to the number of clergymen employed as Superintendents since 1879, there were 71 Roman Catholics and 127 Protestants. In giving me this information, the Assistant Commissioners inform me that there have not been so many applications from Catholic clergymen as from clergymen on the other side,