HC Deb 26 June 1884 vol 289 cc1406-7
MR. SMALL

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he can state how many magistrates of each religious denomination have been appointed for each county in Ireland since the present Government came into office?

MR. TREVELYAN

The information asked for could not be given for so long a period without an amount of inquiry into the circumstances which would take a very considerable time. Moreover, the result would be misleading, as it is only since the appointment of the present Lord Chancellor that the subject of the religious denomination of magistrates has been given its present prominence. Since the present Lord Chancellor came into Office he has appointed 187 county magistrates. Of these, it is understood that 84 are Roman Catholics, 65 Episcopalian Protestants, 30 Presbyterians, 2 Wesleyans, 1 Jew, and of 5 the religious profession is unknown.