In a discussion about the English Education Bill, concerns were raised about its impact on Catholic schools. The speaker, identified as “his Lordship,” expressed grave doubts about the assurance that the Bill would be amended in the Catholic interest. His opinion was that Catholic schools would suffer if the Bill became law and that they would emerge in a precarious condition.

His Lordship criticized the approach taken during the General Election, where Catholic electors across Great Britain were directed to vote solidly for the Liberal Party. He highlighted an earlier speech by Mr Redmond in Manchester, where a more cautious strategy was proposed. Mr Redmond had suggested that if the Liberals gained overwhelming majority power, they might advise Irish voters to change sides to balance the parties and maintain the influence of Irish members.

Unfortunately, this strategy was not adopted, and as a result, Irish Catholics voted for Liberals of all kinds, putting them in a position where they could disregard the views of the Irish people. His Lordship viewed this as a strategic mistake.

His Lordship also criticized the government’s actions, such as allocating a large sum of money to Queen’s College Belfast at the request of Mr Long, the former Chief Secretary for Ireland. He deemed this a blatant act of partiality. Another issue was the allocation of £50,000 for the Marlborough Training College, despite protests from Irish members.

Regarding the Education Bill, his Lordship believed it would never become law. He thought that the Liberals assumed their numerical advantage would allow them to override opposition, but he believed they would soon realize there were limits to their power, even with a significant majority. He cautioned against making any compromises, stating that too much had already been conceded.

In summary, this critique of the English Education Bill reflects concerns about its potential impact on Catholic schools and the perceived disregard for Ireland’s interests by the government. The speaker emphasizes the need for a more strategic approach and warns against compromising further on important issues.

Enniscorthy Echo and South Leinster Advertiser – Friday 29 June 1906