§ MR. DELANYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, since dissatisfaction exists in the Irish Agricultural Department on account of the inequality in the treatment of its staff, and having regard to the further circumstances that have arisen within the last few weeks, he will cause independent inquiry to be made into the whole matter with a view of ascertaining how far such grievances actually prevail, and further with the object of definitely fixing responsibility for them.
§ MR. ATKINSONThe only dissatisfaction that exists, so far as I am aware, is that which has formed the subject of numerous Questions put by the hon. Member. Both the vice-president and the secretary of the Department have made a very careful and extensive inquiry into the matter, and found that there was not the slightest foundation for the suggestion which has been made that the members of the staff to whom reference is made had in any way been prejudiced on account of their religion. The Department is fully competent to deal with all matters affecting the staff, and the Government see no reason for any independent inquiry, as suggested.