§ MR. SEXTON (for Mr. HEALY)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieu- 983 tenant of Ireland, If he is aware of the complaint of Catholic inmates of Donegal Workhouse that the religious obligation imposed on them at Easter could not be kept owing to the conduct of the guardians as to the chaplain, and do the Local Government Board propose to leave the feeble and sick without the ministrations of the clergy; can the Local Government Board provide no remedy in the case of those who have been deprived of Mass on Sundays and holidays since the chaplain's resignation, and who are unable to go to the church, but who could be present at Divine Service in the House; what is the average attendance of the Catholic inmates at Divine Service on Sundays and holidays since the chaplain's resignation as compared with the attendance at Mass in the House for the same length of time previously; and, is it a fact that the children have been altogether deprived of Divine Service and instruction in the Church since sickness set in some three months ago; is he aware of the intense feeling that exists amongst the Catholics of the Union, on account of the opposition of the Protestant majority of the Board to the appointment of a catechist or any other Catholic official to the House; and, having regard to the fact that the vast majority of the ratepayers of the Union and of the inmates of the Workhouse are Catholics, and in. view of the spiritual destitution which the latter class suffer, will the Local Government Board set aside by sealed order the present Board of Guardians and appoint paid Vice Guardians in their stead, who will discharge their duty to those under their care?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Local Government Board have no information before them to show that the Roman Catholic inmates of the Donegal Workhouse complain of being unable to keep their religious obligations, or that intense feeling exists among the Roman Catholics of the Union on account of the action of the Guardians in regard to the appointment of a catechist. The Board cannot obtain an accurate Return of the number of inmates who attended Mass in the workhouse chapel; but there is no doubt that the number of inmates of the workhouse attending Divine Service in the parish chapel is less than the number of persons who were present at Mass when it was held in the workhouse. 984 With regard to the children, the facts appear to be that in consequence of an outbreak of measles in the workhouse they were prevented from congregating together, either at school or Divine Service, until the doctor thought they could do so with safety. This affected the Protestant children as well as the Roman Catholics. The Local Government Board have no power to appoint a catechist. I propose to make a suggestion, which I hope will facilitate the settlement of a controversy in which I think there are faults on both sides.