§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, seeing that certain technical positions in the Irish Board of Works are confined to persons nominated by one political party in Ireland, ho will give instructions that in future nominations for these appointments should be abolished, and that they should be filled by examinations open to all, irrespective of religion or politics.
§ (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) Open competition is not, in my opinion, a suitable method for filling the technical appointments referred to in the hon. Member's Question. It has boon tried, and the result was found to be unsatisfactory. But there is no foundation for the suggestion that the nominations are influenced by considerations of either religion or politics.