The Marquis of Downshirepresented a Petition from the town of Coleraine and its vicinity, in favour of the Kildare-street Society. He had long acted as President of that Society, and had taken an active part in the extension of education in Ireland upon its principles, and he had always found the Society animated by a strong desire to effect the object proposed by the Society, and an anxious wish to do justice to the public. He, therefore, regretted to understand that arrangements were about to be made to take away the grant from that Society. As to the distribution of the public money with which it had been intrusted, he had always desired it to be applied universally, as commanded by the words "for the Education of the Poor of Ireland."
Lord Carberywas ready to prove that the Kildare-street Society had been of great benefit to Ireland, by contributing to the extension of education in that country. The poor of Ireland had been in the lowest state of degradation when the Society commenced its labours. He could declare, from personal knowledge, that the model and training schools for masters were highly efficient, and that the books in use were those recommended by Dr. Doyle himself. He, therefore, hoped Parliament would continue to give it every encouragement.
§ Petition laid on the Table.