§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Whether it is stated in the Rules and Regulations of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland that one of the chief objects of model schools is to promote united education; whether there are any model schools in which there is not even one Catholic teacher of the rank of principal or assistant; and, whether he can inform the House as to the number of separate Model School Departments in which there is no Catholic teachers, or none above the rank of pupil teacher or monitor?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, it is the case that one of the chief objects of model schools is to promote united education. There are four such schools in which there is no Catholic teacher of the rank of principal or assistant; but, in three of these, there are Catholic pupil teachers or monitors. There are 28 separate departments of model schools in Ireland in which there is no Catholic teacher above the rank of pupil teacher or monitor; but hon. Members from that country will agree with me that the majority of the children attending most of the model schools are Protestants, and in filling vacancies in the office of teacher in any school, the Commissioners have thought it reasonable 310 and just to appoint persons of the same religion as that of the pupils who constitute the actual attendance at the school. I only make this addition to make the answer more complete.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked, whether that rule had always been observed?
§ MR. TREVELYAN, in reply, said, he could not say.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORI would like to know, whether, in most of the towns in which the pupils attending the model schools are Protestant, the vast majority of the children of the locality are not Catholics?
§ MR. TREVELYANI do not think the hon. Member really requires my answer to that Question.