§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether he could state the number of Catholics and non-Catholics, respectively, holding the commission of the peace in the county of Leitrim, exclusive of ex-officio magistrates, and the percentage of Catholics and of non-Catholics of the total population of the county according to the Census of 1901; and whether he would state if, and when, the vacancies which had occurred through magistrates leaving the county and through deaths would be filled, as the public and Government officials were being put to inconvenience?
§ Mr. BIRRELLSeventy-four persons at present hold the ordinary commission of the peace for county Leitrim, of whom twenty-three are believed to be Roman Catholics, and fifty-one to belong to other religious denominations. According to 213 the Census of 1901, 90 per cent. of the population of the county were Roman Catholics. The Lord Chancellor is always prepared to consider the names of suitable candidates with a view to meeting local requirements, and he has at present under consideration the names of several persons submitted to him for the County Leitrim Bench.