MR. O'CONOR (for Mr. M'CARTHY DOWNING)asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether any and what instructions have been recently issued as regards the non-admission of Children into the Industrial Schools established in Ireland, notwithstanding the existence of several vacancies?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, in reply, said, he was informed that on the 16th of July there were 1,692 girls and 562 boys in industrial schools in Ireland, and of these only 149 were Protestants. There were some boys' schools which had been long in contemplation, 1848 and on which a good deal of money had been already expended, but which, were still waiting for a certificate. In order to give those boys' schools a fair opportunity of earning some portion of the grant, and to enable some Protestant schools to be opened and to receive their fair share of the grant, admissions to those schools had been for some time suspended.