§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether appointments to the position of inspector of Irish national schools are confined to the nominated candidates of the Irish National Education Commissioners; and, if so, seeing that it is no part of the duties of these inspectors to examine children in religion, will he give instructions that all future vacancies in the inspectorate should be open to all candidates, irrespective of religion or politics.
§ (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The appointment of inspectors of national schools in Ireland rests with the Commissioners of National Education. Under a longstanding arrangement one half of the inspectors are Roman Catholics and the other half belong to other denominations. The Commissioners inform me that they do not think it desirable to alter this arrangement.