MR. SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether the necessary arrangements have yet been made for the promised resumption of the publication of the Irish Manuscripts; and, if not, if he can state what the obstacles are, and when they are likely to be removed?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, in reply, said, that during last autumn he was in communication with several distinguished Irish scholars upon the question of resuming the publication of the Irish manuscripts, and he also, on the part of the Government, requested the Royal Irish Academy to undertake such of the work as might now properly be commenced. The result of this request had been a correspondence of considerable length between the Government and the Royal Irish Academy. Questions arose relating to the expense of the work, which had to be considered very carefully both by the Government and the Royal Irish Academy, and as the meetings of the Council were not very frequent, this correspondence occupied a considerable time. He hoped, however, within the course of two or three days he should be able to submit to the Treasury a final proposal with regard to the expenditure. He might add that the Government did not in any way desire to fetter the Council as to the mode of executing the work, beyond showing the caution which the Government were bound to exercise over a work to be published at the public expense.