§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Is he aware that the suggestion lately made by him as a settlement of the Donegal Workhouse question, namely, to appoint a Catholic assistant teacher has not been acted on, and that the guardians evincing such opposition to the appointment of even one Catholic official have recently elected a Presbyterian chaplain for the single child of that denomination in the workhouse; has the Local Government Board sanctioned that appointment; and, will the Chief Secretary, through the Local Government Board, appoint, by sealed order, a Catholic assistant teacher; and, in view of the feeling that exists against the conduct of the guardians, appoint vice-guardians in their stead, who will carry on the poor law system of the union?
§ MR. TREVELYANI have received Reports which show that there is every reason to hope that this matter is in a fair way of being promptly settled, either by the appointment by the Board of Guardians of a Catholic assistant teacher, or by some other arrangement which will give satisfaction to the persons concerned. I understand that it is the case that the Guardians recently proposed to appoint a Presbyterian chaplain to the workhouse; but the Local Government Board declined to approve 196 such an appointment, as they did not consider it necessary.
§ MR. HEALYMight I ask if it is not the fact that these Guardians have refused to entertain this recommendation of the right hon. Gentleman lately?
§ MR. TREVELYANsaid, that in consequence of representations which had been made, the Local Government Board had their attention directed to the subject of these appointments, and it was hoped that arrangements would soon be made which would satisfy everybody.