§ MR. BARTON (Armagh, Mid)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the National Board of Education in Ireland have received from the Town Commissioners of Wicklow a resolution unanimously passed by that Board protesting against the manner in which the Commissioners of National Education had nominated their half of the local School Attendance Committee, and expressing the opinion that the exclusion of Canon Rooke, the Rector of Wicklow and the manager of a national school, was likely to have an injurious effect on the cause of education in Wicklow; and whether, in compliance with a request contained in the resolution, the Board of National Education will reconsider their nominations?
§ MR. CARSON (Dublin University)At the same time, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been called to the resolution passed by the Wicklow Township Commissioners, consisting of both Protestants 1342 and Catholics, unanimously condemning and protesting against the unfair manner in which the Commissioners of National Education nominated their half of the local School Attendance Committee, and their refusal to appoint the Rev. Canon Rooke, Protestant Rector, and manager of No. 2 Wicklow National School; whether he is aware that the Town Commissioners unanimously appointed two Catholics and two Protestants, and the Education Commissioners appointed three Catholics and one Protestant (a Methodist), three of whom had no connection with the educational work of the district; could he explain on what grounds the Commissioners of Education refused to appoint the Rev. Mr. Rooke, and how many of the Attendance Committee as appointed are school patrons or managers; and whether the Committee as appointed is in compliance with the Act of Parliament?
MR. J. MORLEYMy attention has been drawn to the resolution passed by the Wicklow Town Council with regard to the manner in which the Commissioners of National Education had nominated their half of the local School Attendance Committee. The Board when making their appointments took into account the populations of the various Religious Denominations in Wicklow, and inasmuch as the Local Authority had already appointed two lay members of the Irish Church the Board considered that the representation of that denomination on the committee was equitable, and thereupon appointed a Methodist clergyman to represent the Methodist minority. The Committee now consists of five Roman Catholics, of whom one is a patron of three schools, two lay members of the Irish Church, and a Methodist clergyman. The Commissioners do not consider that they have any warranty for making any alteration in the appointments made by them, and I must presume that the Committee as appointed is in compliance with the Act of Parliament.
§ MR. CARSONAm I right in saying that the only elergymen omitted from these appointments in connection with the education of the district is this Protestant clergyman?
MR. J. MORLEYI understand that is so, but it was supposed that it would 1343 answer the purpose to put on the Methodist clergyman.