§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Chief Secretary whether he was aware that a lieutenant of a county in Ireland might appoint such persons as he thought fit living within the county to be his deputy-lieutenants on certifying the names of such persons to the Lord Lieutenant, when informed by the chief secretary or undersecretary of the Lord Lieutenant that His Excellency did not disapprove of the granting of such commissions; and whether, having regard to some recent appointments to the position of deputy-lieutenant by county lieutenants in Ireland, steps would be taken by the Irish Government to secure that its non-disapproval of persons as deputy-lieutenants was not merely formal but founded on investigation into their character and antecedents, completely independent of the recommenda- 1532 tion of the county lieutenants, whose appointments were subject to the sanction of the Crown?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am aware that the Militia Act, 1882, gives the lieutenant of the county the power of appointing deputy-lieutenants subject to the approval of the Lord Lieutenant. In the case of every proposed appointment the Lord Lieutenant causes such independent inquiry to be made as he deems necessary as to the qualifications and fitness of the persons nominated by the lieutenant of the county.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware whether the Lord Lieutenant made inquiries as to the fitness of the hon. Member for North Armagh, who has been made a deputy-lieutenant?