§ (2.) £472,Queen's University [...]
§ MR. O'DONNELLsaid, [...]was one on which they [...] 125 to receive a considerable amount of information. Nothing could be more unsatisfactory than the position of University education in Ireland, and he thought Irish Members should be afforded the earliest possible opportunity of exhibiting the very serious deficiencies which existed in the system which had, in fact, been in many respects rendered more hurtful by recent legislation. The manner in which the Queen's University had been wound up had not tended in any degree towards removing the grievances of Irish Catholics, or introducing religious equality into Ireland; while from the point of view of pure education the interest of the country in that Department had not been consulted by the change which had taken place. The noble Lord had stated that it was not his intention to take the next Vote, and he (Mr. O'Donnell) could not but think it would be well to defer this Vote also.
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHsaid, he would remind the hon. Member that they had, up to that time, only taken the Vote for the Office of the Irish Land Commission, and he could not assent to the suggestion of the hon. Member that it would be well to postpone the consideration of the Estimate before the Committee. The present Vote did not involve any question of principle, but was simply for the purpose of providing for certain charges which in the ordinary course would have come in course of payment in the next financial year, but which became a Supplementary Charge upon last year, owing to the dissolution of the Queen's University.
§ MR. O'DONNELLpointed out that if the Queen's University had not been dissolved they would have had an opportunity of discussing the question of Irish University education on the Estimates, and they could have asked to have the Vote taken at a proper time in the day. The circumstances under which the Queen's University had been dissolved, and the unreal character of that dissolution, all came up on this question. The dissolution had only taken place in a specious and unreal sense, inasmuch as all the objectionable features of the University had been retained, and the change which had taken place had been carried out in such a manner as to constitute an additional ingredient of unfairness and dissatisfaction in the educational system of Ireland. He 126 could, of course, sympathize with the desire of the noble Lord the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to make progress with the Supplementary Estimates, and begged to assure him that it was the wish of Irish Members to retard no Votes which, in their opinion, did not urgently call for delay. If the noble Lord would mention what were the other Estimates he desired to get through, he was sure that his hon. Friends would be willing to pass them unchallenged if they possibly could do so; but he thought the present Vote, together with that for the Royal University, might very well stand over with the County Court Officers' Vote. If that course were adopted the noble Lord would make more progress than by taking the University Votes separately.
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHsaid, he could not conceive that the present small Supplementary Vote offered a convenient opportunity for discussing the general question of University education in Ireland.
§ MR. O'DONNELLsaid, he thought it would be hardly worth while to insist upon passing this Vote while the Vote for the Royal University was left over. As that would involve a considerable amount of discussion, he would suggest that it would be better to take the two Votes together on a future occasion. However, if the noble Lord said that the fullness of discussion would not be interfered with on the next occasion by the passing of the present Vote, he was willing to withdraw his objection.
§ Vote agreed to.