HC Deb 06 February 1893 vol 8 c525
MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of Catholic soldiers in Ireland; the number of Catholic teachers in Army schools in that country; the number of Catholic children in Army schools in Ireland?

*MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

The Returns show that, including the men on the permanent staff of the Militia, there are 7,000 Catholic soldiers in Ireland. As far as is known, there are five schoolmasters, 10 schoolmistresses, and 15 pupil teachers and monitresses teaching in the Army schools in Ireland who are Catholics. The religious persuasion of assistant teachers and soldier assistants is not known; some, however, of the latter are specially selected as being Catholics. The number of Catholic children attending the schools is not known.