HC Deb 30 June 1881 vol 262 cc1645-6
MR. PARNELL

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that John M'Murray, a "suspect" in Kilmainham Prison under the Coercion Act, was at the time of his arrest, on the 9th of March last, a national school teacher, and in receipt of a salary from the Na- tional Board of Education; whether it is true that neither he nor his sister, who was acting as a mistress in the same school, have received any pay from the National Board of Education since his arrest; and, whether they have been given to understand, by both the inspector and the manager of the school, that none of the family will ever be recognised again by the National Board of Education?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

, in reply, said, it was true that no salary had been paid to John M'Murray since his arrest on the 9th March. Salary due up to that date was not paid, as the claim for payment was imperfect. M'Murray had been informed that when the claim was perfected the salary due would be paid. His sister was not a mistress but a monitress, and monitresses were not recognized in a national school from which the teacher had been removed. This young woman held possession of the school-house, in opposition to the authority of the manager, who was the parish priest, and who had transferred the school to another place, and put it under the charge of another teacher. The Commissioners had given no authority to the Inspector nor to the manager of the school to say that none of the family would be recognized by the National Board again. The Commissioners had given no opinion as to whether the Inspector or the managers had made such a statement, and they were not responsible for what those persons said.