§ 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. TREVELYANSchools for the erection of which grants are made constitute what are called vested schools. Since the year 1855 a rule has existed under which Convent schools receive aid only as non-vested schools. Hence the principle of building grants since that year does not apply to them.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORMy Question does not refer to Convent schools, but to schools belonging to local Trustees who employ as teachers Christian Brothers.
§ MR. TREVELYANI have given the hon. Member the answer I have received; but I can gather myself there are few such schools, and I take the answer of the Commissioners to mean that, but I will refer back to them.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORI shall renew the Question on Thursday.