HC Deb 25 February 1901 vol 89 cc1051-2
MR. BOYLE (Donegal, W.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the respective numbers of the Roman Catholic and Protestant populations in the petty sessions districts of Dunfanaghy, Falcarragh, Bunbeg, and Stranorlar, in the county of Donegal, and the number of Roman Catholic and Protestant magistrates entitled to sit on the local benches in each of said districts; and whether he will take steps to give the Roman Catholic populations a representation on the local benches in said districts, if not in proportion to their numbers at least equal to the number of Protestant magistrates entitled to sit in each of said petty sessions districts.

MR. WYNDHAM

So far as can be ascertained, the religious denominations of the local justices of the peace entitled to sit at the petty sessions, in the order named in the question, are as follows: Protestants, 7, 6, 2, and 9; and Roman Catholics, 2, 3, 2, and 7. respectively. There is no official information on the distribution of religious denominations by petty sessional districts. Recommendations for the commission of the peace should he made to the Lieutenant of the county, who will submit them, if he considers them suitable, to the Lord Chancellor. It is not in my province to intervene in the matter as suggested.