§ Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGHasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), whether his attention had been called to allegations of Episcopalian ascendancy in the appointments in the veterinary branch of his Department; whether he was aware that, although Catholics preponderated in the appointments given by competitive examination, they numbered only about one-fourth in the appointments conferred by nomination, and that the average salary of Episcopalian officials was £248, whilst that of Catholic officials was only £106; and what steps he proposed to take to secure the abolition of religious tests for such appointments, and to ensure that candidates should not be penalised because they belonged to the same religious denomination as the majority of their countrymen?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI have seen a printed statement containing allegations of the kind referred to. The Department, I am informed, has no means of telling the religious persuasion of any of the fourteen 1407 officers in question as no record whatever is kept of this nor are any inquiries made. But in regard to the charges made against the veterinary branch, it must be remembered, first, that on the formation of the Department the staff previously in charge of the work under the Privy Council was transferred to and incorporated with the Department. This accounts for almost the whole of the principal officers. And, secondly, that the main portion of the clerical staff of the Department, apart from the temporary clerks, is assigned by the Civil Service Commissioners, and the Department has nothing to do with these appointments. I regret that it should be possible for such charges to be made, and I can only say with confidence that no such bias has actuated me in making any appointment for which I have been responsible.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHHas the right hon. Gentleman the slightest reason to doubt the accuracy of the figures contained in the question?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI have no means of informing myself on the point raised. I do not know the whole of the individual members of the veterinary staff. On a matter so delicate as this I must ask Irish Members to believe that, at all events, so far as I am concerned, and as long as I am in the Department, religious bias has not and will not influence me in any way.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHI quite accept the right hon. Gentleman's assurance. But from his long political experience has he not come to the conclusion that the maintenance of Episcopalian ascendancy is the be-all and end-all of Irish Unionism?