§ MR. MACVEAGHI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the Departmental Inquiry into the working of the Board of Agriculture, whether facilities will be given to professional representatives of the veterinary staff to give evidence.
MR. BRYCEI have already stated that it was never intended that grievances of members of the staff should be dealt with by the Committee. If the Committee think that evidence as to the working of the Department is needed from the veterinary staff, they will no doubt call for it. I cannot interfere with 573 the discretion of the Committee in the matter.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELL (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will consider the advisability of appointing an eminent independent member of the veterinary profession to the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Agriculture, in view of the importance of the veterinary branch to Ireland and the number of matters of a veterinary nature carried out by the Department generally; and will he instruct that professional officers of the Department are to be called to give evidence before the Commission.
MR. BRYCEIt would not, in my opinion, be desirable now to increase the Committee, which has already begun its work, by appointing a member of the veterinary profession. In reply to the latter part of the Question, I beg to refer to the reply which I have now given to the similar Question of the hon. Member for South Down.