§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, If, on the 267 compulsory retirement of the extern teachers attached to the various model schools in Ireland on the 31st of March last, the Commissioners of Education recommended teachers having a lengthened period of service (ten years and over) to the Lords of the Treasury for a gratuity or superannuation allowance, and if such gratuity or allowance has been made to the extern teachers or to any of them; and, if not, whether the Treasury would take the case of this respectable and deserving body of teachers into consideration?
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHExtern teachers are persons employed for five to seven hours a-week in teaching singing or drawing at model schools. At the beginning of 1881 there were 14 of them; but the services of 12 of these have been dispensed with after four months' notice had been given. Four of these had taught in the manner I have described upwards of 10 years, as stated by the hon. Member, and were recommended by the Commissioners of National Education for a grant of public money. It is impossible to grant them pensions, as this cannot be done even for regular model school teachers, who, I may remind the House, are not civil servants. It did not appear to the Treasury that the occasional character of their employment would warrant the grant of a gratuity from public funds. They received ample notice that their services would no longer be required.