§ SIR HUGH CAIRNSsaid, he wished to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, as a Commissioner of National Education, Whether Inspector Sheridan has ever made the Report on Convent Schools referred to in his Report laid upon the table, 6th April, 1864, by the following words, "I have it in view to inspect all the Convent Schools in my group of districts as soon as I can command sufficient time, and to make them the subject of a Special Report;" whether any orders were given to him not to make such Report; whether the revised Rules of the Board, dated the 21st November, 1863, as to Convent and Monastical Schools, have been approved of by the Lord Lieutenant; and whether care will be taken that these Rules he not acted upon until this House shall have had an opportunity of expressing its opinion upon them?
§ MR. O'HAGANsaid, in reply, that Mr. Inspector Sheridan had made no such Report. With regard to the second Question asked by the hon. Member, he would state that no orders had been given to Mr. Inspector Sheridan by the Commissioners or any one else to prevent him from making such a Report. The Rules referred to by the hon. Member were not considered by the Commissioners or by himself to involve any fundamental change in the present system, and they had not, therefore, been submitted to the Lord Lieutenant for his sanction. His Excellency had, however, seen them. The House would have the opportunity of considering the subject, because the Rules would not come into operation until the Education Estimates had received the sanction of the House.