HC Deb 14 February 1895 vol 30 cc744-5
MR. T. SEXTON (Kerry, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the vacancies in the Board of Commissioners of National Education have yet been filled?

MR. J. MORLEY

As my hon. Friend knows, the National Board consists of 20 members, 10 of whom are Catholics and ten of whom are Protestant. There were three vacancies on the Board, two for Catholics and one for a Protestant. Of the two Roman Catholic vacancies, one seat has been accepted by Dr. Walsh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, and the Protestant seat has been accepted by Lord Plunkett, the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin. The other Catholic seat has been accepted by Mr. Harrington, of Cork.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

Are we to understand that the Chief Secretary has appointed to the Board of National Education the principal opponent of the system of national education in Ireland?

MR. J. MORLEY

That is a question which ought not to be put in that form.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL

Is it not a matter of notoriety that Dr. Walsh, the Archbishop of Dublin, is the strongest and most persistent opponent of the mixed system of education in Ireland?

MR. T. M. HEALY

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin is the principal opponent of Catholicity in Ireland?

MR. J. MORLEY

I submit that there is not the time for discussing the matter raised by the hon. Member for South Tyrone. I may say, however, that our object in trying to secure the services of these two distinguished men, was to have the highest representative authorities on the Board, of the communions that are interested.

MR. T. SEXTON

With reference to the statement that Dr. Walsh is an opponent of the system of mixed education, I wish to ask the Chief Secretary whether it is not a fact that the clergy of the arch-diocese of Dublin, who are under the ecclesiastical control of Dr. Walsh, are the managers of schools under the National Board?

MR. J. MORLEY

Yes; I think that is so.