§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland what proportion of the inhabitants of County Donegal belong to the Roman Catholic religion, and what proportion of the Magistrates of the same county are Roman Catholics; and how many Roman Catholics in the said county have attained to the rank of Deputy Lieutenant?
§ * MR. JACKSONAs regards the religious persuasion of the inhabitants of County Donegal, the hon. Member will find all the information in the Census Returns when they are issued. There is no official record kept of the religion of gentlemen appointed to the Commission of the Peace, and it would be impossible to get the detailed information sought in that direction. No official record is kept of the number of Roman Catholics appointed to the office of Deputy Lieutenant; but, as I have stated in reply to previous questions, the Lord Lieutenant of a county is always ready to consider the names of Roman Catholics submitted to him for Commissions of the Peace, and the Lord Chancellor is always ready to give effect to his recommendations.