§ MR. SYNANasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether all the children have been withdrawn from the National School of 1091 Shanagolden, in the county of Limerick, by their parents, and whether the teachers have left same; whether, in consequence, the parish priest has been obliged to rent a house in the village for the education of the children and to employ a staff of teachers for the purpose, and whether his application to the Commissioners of National Education for a grant for said school has been refused; whether said National School-house was built by public money; and, if so, how same came to be the property of the landlord of the village, and how he came to be the sole patron, owner, and manager thereof; and, whether, under the circumstances, the Irish Government propose to take any and what steps to secure a proper school fur the education of the children, or to recommend the Commissioners to give the usual grants to the school now rented by the parish priest for such education?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I have been in communication with the Commissioners of National Education in reference to this Question, and find that all but 15 or 16 children have been withdrawn from the Shanagolden National Schools, they having been "Boycotted" since June, 1881, because the manager gave shelter for a few hours to a body of police in one of the schoolrooms during a Land League meeting. Of six teachers recognized three have left according to latest returns, and there is still one teacher in each department. In September or October, 1881, the parish priest established a school in the village in lieu of the "Boycotted" schools, and I believe the school is still in operation. I am informed that the grant was refused to this school. All the buildings in the group composing the National schools were erected by the late Lord Monteagle at his own expense, with the exception of a small sum of £74, granted by the Board of National Education towards the expense of building the boys' school. This sum was granted on security of a lease for 31 years, which expired in January, 1875, since which date the boys' school has been a non-vested school. The matter seems to me to be one which could easily be arranged by any person with influence in the locality, and I do not think the Government should be asked to interfere with the discretion of the Board of National Education.