HC Deb 17 August 1883 vol 283 cc956-7
MR. HEALY

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, On what authority he stated that there was a Catholic monitress, or any Catholic official, to instruct the Workhouse children in Donegal; if he will give the name of the Catholic monitress, and say if the person in question is a pauper, aged eleven years; whether, if this child be the "Catholic monitress," it is the fact that, on an examination in second class last year by the National School Inspector, she failed to pass; whether she teaches catechism at the suggestion of Mr. M'Farlane, L.G.B. Inspector; and, if not, by whose instructions she does so; if there is any difficulty in his ascertaining whether the Rev. H. M'Fadden, P.P., after his resignation as chaplain, is now paying a catechist out of his own pocket to instruct pauper children in the parish church; and, whether the spiritual destitution, which prevails in the Donegal Workhouse amongst the Catholic inmates, is such as would justify him, as President of the Local Government Board, in over-riding the authority of the guardians in order to provide a remedy?

MR. TREVELYAN

said, the Notice given of this Question was not sufficient to allow of a reply being received from Ireland. He would answer the Question on Monday.

MR. HEALY

said, he would ask it again on Monday. The Question, however, was the same as that already asked; and if the Local Government Board pleaded want of Notice they were guilty of want of candour.