MR. DAWSONsaid, he would beg to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether there will be provision made in the Estimates of the current year 1870–71 for the payment of the Regium Donum Grant to nonconforming Ministers in Ireland, the Act of Parliament passed last Session not coming into operation till the date of January 1st, 1871?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEsaid, the Government did not intend to propose any Vote for what was commonly called the Regium Donum, or for the other small grants which stood on the same footing; and that conclusion of theirs they had every reason to believe was in harmony with the wishes of the great body of the Presbyterians of Ireland. The clause of the Act referred to by the hon. Member had no bearing on that point, because from the moment the Parliamentary Grant ceased the payment of the stipends of the existing ministers of the Presbyterian Church devolved upon the Church Commissioners.