§ MR. J. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that of the forty-seven nominated officials in the Local Government Board (Ireland) thirteen are Catholics, whose salaries aggregate £7,550, whilst the remaining thirty-four are mainly Episcopalians, whose salaries aggregate £22,225; whether he is aware that similar complaints are made about nearly all Government Departments in Ireland; and whether he can take steps, by limiting the right of nomination or otherwise, to 229 terminate the evil of religious ascendancy in such departments.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board have no record of the religions persuasion of members of their staff. As regards the concluding part of the Question, I can only assure the hon. Member that fitness for any given post, and not religious denomination, will be the test applied by His Majesty's Government in making appointments in Ireland.