[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] note in your last
week's issue a letter from Mr. Cahir Healy, M.P., Enniskillen, in which he states that Roman Catholic schools have only got 8 per cent. of the L1,500,000 allocated towards the erection of new schools in Northern Ireland, while the other denominations have received 92 per cent. In point of fact, Roman Catholics are better treated in Northern Ireland than they are in England, because, in addition to paying the salaries of the Roman Catholic teachers, the Northern Government gives at least two-thirds towards the erection of new Roman Catholic schools, and, in many cases,
75 per cent. Yet, in England, Roman Catholics get no Govern- ment assistance towards the building of new schools. Again, about 8o per cent. of the IA- millions is given to public schools which are open to all denominations and not under the manage- ment of any church.
Mr. Healy is quite well acquainted with these facts and it is scarcely proper for a man in his position to attempt to conceal them from the English public.
With regard to Mr. Healy's last sentence—" a united Ireland Would be a friend of England "—when in history was ever Ireland united, and what guarantee have we that it would be a friend of England ? Mr. Healy's leader—Mr. de Valera— said on February 1st, r9zo : " As far as England is concerned, the Irish people hoped that Germany might win the War," and again that same leader said : " Centuries ago we joined the Spanish when they made war on England. For ioo years we supported the French in their war to destroy her. We shall do the same the next time she is attacked. We always wish to see
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