§ MR. MACFIEasked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether it has been the custom to elect, as Trustees of Maynooth College, under the Act of the 35th George 3, cap 21, of the Parliament of Ireland, lay as well as clerical persons; if so, how many of each of these classes of persons were eight or ten years ago, and on the 1st of January last, and how many of each are now trustees; how many of the trustees are archbishops and bishops; whether, in allowing the now acting trustees to appoint as many more trustees as will bring the number up to twenty-eight, which the Bill to amend the Acts relating to the College of Maynooth is intended to do, there is to be any provision for the maintaining in the number such a proportion of laymen as now is usual; what is the number of Roman Catholic bishops and of archbishops and bishops having sees or exercising episcopal and archiepiscopal functions in Ireland; who, if the foregoing Bill becomes law, will be the electors, after the ensuing appointments are made, of trustees to take the place of retiring or deceasing trustees; whether, if it become law, the form of disapproval or veto, which appears now to exist in the Lord Lieutenant, on the framing of bye laws, rules, regulations, and statutes, which might be objectionable, will remain in force; whether the Government can state that the Roman Catholic laity of Ireland are favourably disposed towards the contemplated changes which this Bill is intended to effect and facilitate; and, whether he will lay upon the Table, in time to enable a judgment to be formed on sufficient data, any Correspondence, Resolutions, Statements, or other Documents illustrating the motives and encouragement which have led to the introduction of this Bill, and justify it being pushed through at this late period of the Session?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. DOWSE)said, in reply, that in the year 1851 there were six lay and 11 clerical trustees of Maynooth 778 College, and in 1871 there were one lay trustee and 16 clerical trustees. The number of trustees who were Archbishops or Bishops was 16. In allowing the now acting trustees to appoint as many more trustees as would bring the number up to 28, which the Bill to amend the Acts relating to the College of Maynooth was intended to do, it was not proposed to insert any provision to maintain any particular proportion of laymen. There was no such provision in any Act relative to Maynooth College. The number of Roman Catholic Archbishops and Bishops in Ireland was 28, there being four Archbishops and 24 Bishops. If the Bill became law the continuing trustees would be the electors, and the veto at present possessed by the Lord Lieutenant would be removed, as it was reasonable that the State should have no further interference with the College. With respect to the question whether the Government could state that the Catholic laity of Ireland were favourably disposed towards the contemplated changes which the Bill was intended to effect and facilitate, he would merely remark that the Government had had no opportunity of ascertaining the sentiments of the Catholic population since last night, when Notice of the Question was given. He might add that for much of the information he had just given he was indebted to Thom's Irish Directory and The Catholic Directory.
§ MR. MUNTZdesired some information which was not to be found in The Catholic Directory. For what reason was the Bill introduced?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. DOWSE)said, he did not mean that he had gathered any information respecting the Bill from The Catholic Directory, but that the particulars he had stated as to the Archbishops, Bishops, and trustees were given in that work. The Bill was introduced in consequence of the Government having stated that the proposed change would be effected by the Irish Church Act; but as this had not been done, it became necessary to deal with the subject by a separate Bill.
§ MR. FAWCETTasked after what hour it would not be considered?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. DOWSE)said, he would not proceed with it at an hour when a 779 reasonable number of gentlemen thought it unreasonable for him to do so.