§ MR. P. MARTINasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieuteuant of Ireland, Is it the fact that the Royal Commissioners, in their recent Report on Endowed Schools in Ireland, call attention to the fact that the Royal Commissioners 1854-8 had stated that the Swords Borough School, the benefits of which were intended to be conferred without religious distinction, ought not to be entrusted to the management of an exclusive Board, and especially of one on which Catholics, the most numerous class of the inhabitants, were entirely unrepresented, yet that no effect had been given by the Legislature or Government to this recommendation; can he state under what statutable or other provisions are the governors authorised to now transfer the funds and management of these schools as proposed; if the governors be so authorised, would ho object to lay upon the Table of the House the Inspector's Report and a Memorandum of the terms on which the proposed transfer is to take place; and will any 270 opportunity be given to the inhabitants of Swords, for whose benefit this charity was intended, to be heard, and claim, as recommended, that there should be some Catholic representation from Swords, and the objects of the endowment, as stated in the charter, carried into due effect?
§ MR. TREVELYANI find that the Royal Commissioners in their recent Report on Endowed Schools in Ireland did allude to the Swords Borough School in the terms stated in the Question of the hon. and learned Member; but he is under a misapprehension in supposing that a compliance with the application of the Governors to have the school placed under the Commissioners of National Education would involve any transfer of its funds or management. If the inhabitants of Swords desire to make any representations to the Board on the subject of the application now before them, it will, I have no doubt, receive every attention; but, as I have pointed out, the application does not involve any change in the management of the school or its endowments.
§ MR. P. MARTINinquired whether the right hon. Gentleman intended to lay the Inspector's Reports on the Table of the House?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Royal Commissioners inform me that with regard to the Inspector's Reports, which I cannot find just at this moment, but about which I have had some communication, they consider them as confidential. I shall be glad, however, to show these Papers to the hon. Member later on.