MR. SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether it is true that endeavours have been made and are still being prosecuted to obstruct or prevent the establishment by the Commissioners of Education of a National School in the neighbourhood of Altanagh, county Tyrone, under the management of the Catholic clergyman of the district, such obstruction being effected by the landlord evicting or threatening to evict each holding or premises in which it has been sought from time to time so to establish a national board school, unless on the condition of the board nominating himself as manager of any such school; whether it is true that the school last or most recently opened by the national board in the district has not since been placed under notice of eviction by the landlord in prosecution of such a purpose; and, whether he will have any objection to lay upon the Table, Copies of any Correspondence between the Commissioners of Education and the landlord in question in reference to those schools; and Copies of any Reports upon the subject by any of the National Board Inspectors?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, in reply, said, that as far as he had been able to ascertain the facts, the first application made by the Roman Catholic clergyman of the district of Altanagh, county Tyrone, to the Commissioners of Education to establish a National School there under his management, was rejected because he proposed that the school should be built on a site which was deemed unsuitable for the purpose. He then applied for leave to have a school established on another 758 site which the School Inspector of the district reported to be suitable, and leave was given for the establishment of a school there; but the owner of that site objected to the erection of a school upon it, and he believed that the question of ownership would have to be decided by a Court of Law. As to the Correspondence which had passed on the subject, there would be no objection to its production, if the hon. Gentleman would move for it.