§ MR. JAMES DALY (Monaghan, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (I) whether he is aware that there is no Roman Catholic magistrate in the polling district of Ballytrain, county Monaghan, while there are several Protestant magistrates, although the Roman Catholics of the polling district mentioned number six to one of all other denominations combined; (2) whether he is aware that during past elections poll clerks and personation agents of the Nationalist candidate had to go to Carrickmacross, Castleblayney, or Ballybay, a distance of over six miles from Ballytrain, to get their papers signed by a Roman Catholic magistrate, the Protestant magistrates of the district being supporters of the Unionist candidate; and (3) whether he can state when this grievance will be remedied?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI replied to several questions addressed to me on this subject by the hon. Member last year, and can only repeat that the Lord Chancellor sees no necessity for an additional appointment to the Magistracy in this district at present. I am not aware that the fact is as alleged in the second paragraph of the Question, but I may point out that no distinction is drawn by Act of Parliament between the performance of the duties imposed on magistrates whether Protestant or Roman Catholic.
§ MR. DALYArising out of the right hon. Gentleman's answer, might I ask him to make inquiries as to the accuracy of the statement in the second paragraph of my Question, as he states that he is not aware of the fact it sets forth.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIt would make no difference in my action if I did make the inquiry?