§ MR. RICHARD POWERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If he is aware that the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland have discontinued several of the Agricultural Model Schools throughout Ireland, and advertised for sale the buildings and farms used for the purposes of agricultural instruction; and can he state under what circumstances and for what reasons such course has been taken by the Commissioners?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERSir, this is a subject which does not come within the jurisdiction of the Irish Government, as sales of the farms have been carried out by the National Board of Education, under instructions from the Treasury. This course is in accordance with the Treasury Departmental Committee, of which the hon. Member for Whitby (Mr. W. H. Gladstone) acted as Chairman, which inquired into the National Board during the years 1873 and 1874. With regard to the reasons which are advanced for these sales, I may say that these farms were originally instituted for the purpose of affording instruction in good farming throughout the country. The expectation that they would effect that object, unfortunately, has not been fulfilled, and the scheme, having proved a failure, has been abandoned.