§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that the National Education Commissioners have made a rule under which assistance is refused towards the erection of any school, even though vested in local trustees, if the teachers employed in it are religious men or women; and, if so, what is the reason of the rule?
§ MR. TREVELYANUnder the rules of the National Education Board, schools taught by men or women belonging to religious Orders are ranked as convent or monastery schools, and are therefore 1036 ineligible to receive building grants. The rule in the matter is not a new one, but has been in operation for many years.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked whether it was a fact that any school belonging to private persons, although certificated teachers, were deprived of assistance from the mere fact that they were held by nuns?
§ MR. TREVELYAN, in reply, said, that that was a case that obviously would seldom occur, and he would not like to interpret off-hand the rule with regard to it. He would like to have a case brought before him, before deciding the point.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked whether, within the last few days, the Commissioners of National Education had written to a parish priest in the Queen's County, stating, with regard to a school vested in local trustees, that whether vested or non-vested, the school to get assistance must be taught by lay teachers.
§ MR. TREVELYANYes, I will inquire.