§ Mr. MEAGHERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the appointment of persons to the position of auditorship under the Local Government Board is restricted to a certain class of professional gentlemen; whether he will give the names of the classes to which the restrictions apply, and the reasons for so restricting the appointments; whether he is aware that such restrictions in their operations preclude the possibility of an union officer as such from ever being promoted to the higher offices in the Local Government Board; and whether, as in all other public services, he will see his way to have a certain proportion of the auditorships and inspectorships reserved to officers serving in the Poor Law whose fitness and ability may be known to the Local Government Board as entitling them to promotion to such positions?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe classes of persons eligible for appointment as auditors under the Local Government Board for Ireland are defined in a Treasury minute, dated 8th July, 1908, which was presented to Parliament. Poor Law officers are subject to no disqualification which does not apply equally to every other person, and they will not be debarred from being appointed as auditors if they possess the qualifications laid down which are held to be necessary to secure the efficient discharge of an auditor's duties.