HC Deb 15 February 1884 vol 284 cc1010-1
MR. O'BRIEN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact that of the officers and clerks employed in the General Post Office, Dublin, 77 are Protestants and only 18 Catholics; and, whether he has any objection to furnishing a Return showing the religious denominations of persons nominated to official appointments in the various Government departments in Dublin?

MR. TREVELYAN

The Irish Government have no information whatever as to the officers and clerks employed in the Post Office, which Department is under the control of the Postmaster General. With regard to giving the Return asked for, I dare say that I am expressing the views which the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Fawcett) would have expressed himself, were he asked to give the Return of the religion of the members of the Civil Service, when I say that there are two objections to it. In the first place, a Return of a man's religion, attached to his name, is information which I do not think should be required by the House of Commons. In debate I shall be very glad to explain the distinction between this Return and the Return granted as to the aggregate numbers of certain religions in other cases. In the next place, as to an aggregate Return of the religions of Civil servants, it must be remembered that the admission to the Civil Service is now almost entirely governed by open competition, at which no questions are asked about religion. A man is now appointed in every case, Protestant or Catholic, because he has won his post by industry and ability; and after his appointment he is placed in Ireland because he expresses a desire for employment in that country. It would, therefore, not be proper to give such a Return for Ireland, unless there was given at the same time a Return for the whole of the United Kingdom.

MR. T. P. O'CONNOR

I would like to ask whether the only Catholic who has a position of any prominence in the Dublin Post Office was appointed directly from London, and not by the authorities in Dublin?

MR. TREVELYAN

Perhaps the hon. Member will put a Question to the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Fawcett).