The Earl of Arundelwished to know whether it ever was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce any amendments into the Irish Charitable Bequests Bill?
§ Sir J. Grahamsaid, the subject to which the noble Earl referred was under the consideration of Government. The Roman Catholic Commissioners appointed to preside at the Board under this Bill had represented to the Government the objections which they had to more than one point in that measure. They pointed out, especially, the duty that was imposed on them by the Act, of deciding as to who possessed ecclesiastical authority, according to the rules and canons of their Church. They stated that this point should be left altogether to the decision of an ecclesiastical authority, and not of a civil authority. This objection he had a desire, as far as possible, to remove. Another point was also dwelt upon as most objectionable, in respect to which they stated that the Bill had put them in a worse situation than they had been in before. He could only say it was not the intention of Government to place them in a more disadvantageous position than they had been heretofore. With respect to these objections generally, it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government, during the recess, to give every attention to them, with a view of ascertaining how these difficulties could be removed.