Captain CRAIGasked whether the two posts of Inspectors of Boarded-out Children under the Local Government Board for Ireland are both filled by Roman Catholics; whether it was stated and agreed from the first that one of these posts should be held by a Protestant, and one was so held till recently; and whether it is proposed, in the event of a vacancy occurring, to appoint a Protestant.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe two lady inspectors of Boarded-out Children are Roman Catholics. No such agreement as that stated in the second paragraph of the question was made, but the lady inspector, whose recent appointment as Insurance Commissioner caused this vacancy, is a Presbyterian. The Local Government Board were anxious, for many reasons, that this vacancy should be filled by a fully qualified lady doctor, but neither of the Protestant lady doctors who were candidates considered that the salary offered was sufficient to induce them to accept the position.