§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to the decision arrived at by the majority of the Donegal Guardians, at their meeting on the 2nd instant, refusing the appointment of a Catholic assistant teacher for the workhouse; whether he is aware that the Protestant majority of the same Board have, for the past two years, repeatedly refused the appointment of any Catholic teacher for the spiritual instruction and training of the Catholic children; whether 90 per cent of the inmates are Catholics, and not even one Catholic official allowed in the house; whether, when there was a vacancy for schoolmistress, the Catholic chaplain applied to the Guardians to have a Catholic teacher appointed, on the ground that almost all the pauper children were Catholics and all the officials Protestants, there being no one to teach the children their prayers or catechism; whether, when the application for a Catholic teacher was refused, the chaplain applied for a catechist for the Catholic children, and whether this appointment also was refused repeatedly by the Protestant Guardians; whether the Local Government Board and the late Chief Secretary, Mr. Trevelyan, approved of the applications of the Catholic chaplain, and termed them "reasonable;" whether, "as a settlement of the question," the late Chief Secretary and the Local Government Board suggested that a Catholic assistant teacher should be appointed, an arrangement they thought "that would satisfy all parties;" whether, previous to their last refusal to appoint a Catholic assistant teacher, the Protestant Guardians have several times already rejected the Motion; whether, in consequence of the action of the Protestant Guardians, and their hostile attitude to Catholic claims 123 in respect of the workhouse paupers, the parish priest, the Very Rev. Hugh M'Fadden, resigned the chaplaincy of the workhouse; whether, inconsequence, the Donegal Workhouse is without a Catholic chaplain for two years, and the great majority of the Catholic inmates deprived of Divine Service on Sundays and holidays, and the ministrations of their religion at Easter and other times of the year, only comparatively few being able to attend the church in Donegal town; whether the Local Government Board will allow this state of things to be continued, and permit such spiritual destitution to exist in the Donegal Workhouse, and whether a remedy will be provided by setting aside the present Board, and appointing Vice-Guardians; and, whether it is the fact that the present teacher of the workhouse, whom the Protestant Guardians persisted in appointing, was found on examination by the National Board two years successively to be incompetent for his position?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANBeyond the fact that the Guardians have again passed a resolution declining to appoint an assistant teacher, there is nothing new in the position of this case, which has been the subject of repeated Questions. The views and powers of the Local Government Board in the matter have been frequently explained, and I can add nothing to the answers already given.
§ MR. HEALYWould the Government consider the propriety of dissolving the Board of Guardians for constantly and repeatedly refusing to carry out the orders of the Local Government Board?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI think the hon. Member will find that, too, was answered in reply to the Questions referred to.