§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that St. Patrick's College, generally known as Maynooth, has been affiliated as a college of the National University in Ireland; if so, what members of the senate were present when it was decided to affiliate this college; and whether it is intended that Maynooth shall remain, as at present, a training college for the Roman Catholic priesthood; whether, under the terms of affiliation of Maynooth with the National University it will be possible for a Maynooth student to become a graduate of the National University without attending lectures at that university or ever leaving the precincts of Maynooth; and whether it is proposed that the degrees awarded to Maynooth students shall be distinguished in any way from the degrees granted to ordinary graduates of the National University?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI will answer these three questions together. I understand that St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, has been admitted to be a recognised college of the National University in the subjects included in the faculties of Arts, Philosophy and Celtic Studies. This matter was before the Senate at three of its meetings. All the members of the Senate were present at one or other of those meetings, and thirty-one of the thirty-nine members attended the last of the three meetings. Under the Act of Parliament, Charter, and Statutes, it is possible for a student of a constituent or recognised college to obtain degrees of the University without attending lectures elsewhere than in the constituent or recognised college of which he is a member. It is not intended to make any distinction between the degrees obtained by students of the constituent or recognised college otherwise than by giving in the published University Lists the names of the colleges at which these students attended their courses of studies.
§ Mr. C. CRAIGMay I ask whether the granting of degrees to persons who have not been in residence at the University is not entirely contrary to the spirit of the right hon. Gentleman's own argument when the University Bill was before the Committee last year, and also whether it is not directly contrary to his refusal to allow extern students, that is to say, students who were not in residence at the 1478 University to have the benefit of this new University, as they had the benefit of the old Royal University?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo one knows better than the hon. Member, who took an active part in the discussion of this measure, that the whole of the question as to the students was left to the Senate of the new University.
§ Captain CRAIGHas he now dropped the old statement that the University would be undenominational?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI do not think the House would desire to revive the discussion of the year before last.
§ Mr. C. CRAIGWas it not definitely re fused when the Bill was before Parliament to allow extern students to get the benefits of the degree of the new University—the very point?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is an argumentative question on the action of the House.
§ Mr. C. CRAIGNo, on the action of the right hon. Gentleman, not of the House.