§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What is the nature of the communications which he received from the Local Government Board with respect to the Donegal Workhouse, and what are the arrangements which he said would give satisfaction to all parties; is he aware that the majority of the Board persistently refuse to make any arrangement, or to appoint any Catholic official to the house, although the inmates are almost all Catholics; and, in view of the spiritual destitution and hardship which the Catholic paupers suffer, there being no Chaplain or other Catholic official, will he suspend the present Board and substitute Vice Guardians in their stead, and appoint, by sealed order, a Catholic assistant teacher according to the suggestion already made by him?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Local Government Board inform me that they authorized their Inspector to suggest to the Board of Guardians the appointment of an assistant Catholic teacher; and the Inspector, who was present at the meeting of the Board when the subject was introduced, understood that the proposition was favourably regarded by the majority of the Protestant Guar 1601 dians present. The Local Government Board are not aware that this suggestion has been finally rejected by the Guardians. I have myself personally communicated with the Guardians, through their Chairman, expressing my concurrence in the proposed appointment and my earnest hope that they will bring this vexed question to a satisfactory issue. I have not since heard from them, and trust that my communication will have some weight when they again have the matter under consideration.