§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether in Queen's College, Cork, in October 1882, out of live entrance scholarships in literature, only two were actually awarded; whether, on that occasion, there were fewer competitors than there were scholarships proposed for competition, and what was the number of competitors; whether the two successful students, whoso answering was thus deemed satisfactory, according to the Queen's College standard for the distribution of £20 scholarships, were mere passmen at the Royal University, neither of them having there 290 obtained an exhibition nor honours of any kind in any literary subject; whether the answering of these same two students in the competition, also for the science scholarships, was so satisfactory, according to the Queen's College standard, that they were placed on the list of science scholars as well, and were only not awarded £20 scholarships in science, in consequence of a College rule restricting the holding of double scholarships; whether, at the Royal University, these students were mere passmen in science, as in literature, neither having there obtained an exhibition, nor honours of any kind, in any subject, literary or scientific; whether, of the five students to whom the £20 science scholarships were actually awarded, only one obtained honours, and these only of the second class, in even one subject, at the University examination; whether, of the remaining four to whom these £20 scholarships in; science were awarded in the Queen's College, only one was even a passman at the University, the names of the other three not appearing in the University matriculation list for 1882–3; and, whether he will take into consideration the propriety of advising the issue of a Royal Commission, fully to investigate the state of affairs in that College as regards the number of its students, their educational status, and its standards of examination for the distribution of scholarships maintained out, of public funds?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Report; of the President of the Queen's College, Cork, already before this House, and the published calendar of the Royal University of Ireland, afford replies to nearly all of the hon. Member's inquiries. It is the case—as shown by the Report—that in October, 1882, only two entrance scholarships in literature were awarded. Five were available, and there were only two competitors. These students were also placed on the list of science scholars; but under the College regulations they could not hold the double scholarships. Their names appear in the Royal University Calendar as passmen. I cannot undertake to advise the issue of a Royal Commission; but I have communicated to the hon. Member for Mallow (Mr. O'Brien) what, I propose to do.