§ MR. C. J. O'DONNELL (Newington, Walworth)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what action the Government proposes to take in order to give the Catholics of Ulster equality of opportunity, seeing that the Belfast University and the college at Derry are practically closed to them; and whether he still proposes to deprive the Ulster Catholics of the resource of obtaining University degrees by private tuition or private study.
§ MR. BIRRELLI should be very sorry to think that the measure now before the House might have the effect of debarring any body of Irishmen from University education. If, however, the new Universities are to be Universities in fact as well as in name, it will be necessary to hold fast by the provision that only those students shall be admitted to degrees who have been taught in the Universities or affiliated colleges.
§ MR. C. J. O'DONNELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the reason for appointing only one Catholic out of thirty-five members of the governing body of the proposed University of Belfast, seeing that the Catholic population of Ulster is equal to the total number of Protestants of all denominations; and whether he is aware that all the organs of Protestant 302 opinion in Ulster disclaim responsibility for this exclusion of Catholic Ulstermen from an University said to be unsectarian.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe selection of a fully representative and otherwise satisfactory governing body is a matter of much difficulty. I should be glad if it could be arranged that some additional representative Catholic Ulstermen could be added to the governing body of the Belfast University.