HC Deb 09 March 1904 vol 131 cc580-1
MR. T. M. HEALY

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether there is any legal disability which prevents the Crown from appointing a Roman Catholic as Provost of Trinity College, Dublin; if not, why, as the office is in the gift of the Government, no Roman Catholic has ever been appointed; has his attention been called to the recently expressed desire of the Fellows to attract Roman Catholic students; and will he ascertain if the appointment of a Roman Catholic would be welcomed by them.

MR. WYNDHAM

So far as I have been able to ascertain no legal disability is opposed to such an appointment. The reply to the third inquiry is in the affirmative. In respect to the second and fourth, I must respectfully decline to discuss the methods followed, in the past or the present, to select the most eligible candidate for this important appointment by the Crown.

MR. T. M. HEALY

When will the Protestant it is intended to appoint be appointed?

MR. WYNDHAM

At an early date.