§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Chief Secretary if he will say who is responsible for appointments to the office of deputy-lieutenants in Irish counties; whether of the 21 deputy-lieutenants appointed for the county of Dublin only one is a Catholic and all belong to the Unionist side in politics, although the overwhelming majority of the population of the county are both Catholics and Nationalists; and, if so, whether the attention of the appointing authority will be directed to those circumstances in the filling of the existing vacancy in the office of deputy-lieutenant for Dublin county?
§ Mr. BIRRELLUnder Section 30 of the Militia Act, 1882, the filling of vacancies among the deputy-lieutenants of any county rests with the lieutenant of the county, but before making an appointment he must ascertain that the Lord Lieutenant does not disapprove. There is no record of the religion or politics of deputy-lieutenants, but I am told that the facts with regard to county Dublin appear to be as stated. The Statute gives the lieutenant of the county the right to select his deputy-lieutenants, and the Government cannot make representations to him on the subject.