§ MR. O'BEIRNEsaid, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether it is true, as stated in the Dublin Freeman's Journal, that the Commissioners for investigating the subject of Primary Education in Ireland have come to the conclusion that Irishmen are not competent to discharge the duties of Assistant Commissioners, and have appointed seven Englishmen and three Scotchmen to discharge those duties?
THE EARL OF MAYOsaid, in reply, that the appointment of an Assistant Commissioner did not rest with the Government. He had had a communication with the Chairman of the Commission, who had informed him that, with the unanimous concurrence of his colleagues, he had selected a gentleman who had been lately engaged upon an ecclesiastical inquiry similar to that of the Royal Commission in different parts of the United Kingdom, especially in Scotland, and they were unanimously of opinion that in selecting that gentleman they were selecting a man who was best able to perform the duties to be intrusted to him.