§ MR. VINCENT KENNEDYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that in the Surveyor's department of the Irish Board of Works sixteen of the nineteen surveyors are Protestants; and can he say if these appointments are the subject of open competition?
§ MR. MCKENNAThe Board of Works inform me that they have no knowledge of the religious beliefs of their staff. Of the nineteen principal and assistant surveyors ten have been appointed by open competitive examinations. Owing to a dearth of suitable candidates in 1900 three appointments were made by nomination and one other officer was appointed in this way in 1904 for somewhat similar reasons. With these four exceptions, however, the rule of recent years has been and still is to appoint by limited competition from amongst nominated candidates. Wide publicity is given by advertisement in the professional and other papers when a vacancy exists, and all qualified candidates are invited to send in a statement of their qualifications with their testimonials.