HC Deb 17 April 1883 vol 278 cc423-4
LORD ARTHUR HILL

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to the reply given by the Lord Lieutenat of Ireland, as reported in the "Belfast Newsletter" of the 10th inst., to the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, who waited upon His Excellency for the purpose of remonstrating against the contemplated changes being made in the national system of education in Ireland for the denominational training of teachers, which changes the deputation urged would lead to the denominationalising of the whole system, and to the overthrow of those principles on which it was founded and on which it has worked; and, whether Her Majesty's Government propose to carry out these changes in direct opposition to the strongly expressed feelings of the Prebyterian and other Protestant churches in Ireland?

MR. TREVELYAN

The noble Lord will probably allow me to answer the Question. The Government, after a careful, and it is needless to say, a most respectful consideration of the views laid before them by the members of the deputation, are still of opinion that the course adopted by the Board of National Education, with the concurrence of the Government, will not make any material inroad on the principles on which National education in Ireland is at present conducted; and, therefore, they are prepared to go forward with the scheme for removing the grave defects in the training of National teachers which have long been complained of.