§ MR. W. A. MACDONALD (Queen's County, Ossory)I beg to ask the Attorney General for Ireland whether his 1673 attention has been called to a resolution in favour of compulsory education for Ireland, passed by the National School Teachers' Congress at the beginning of January last; whether he is aware that a similar resolution has been passed by the teachers at several preceding congresses; whether it is clear from the census returns that the proportion of persons who cannot read and write is greater in Ireland than in Great Britain; whether this disproportion is due to the absence of any system of compulsion in Ireland; and whether he will introduce any legislation giving practical effect to the recommendation of the Teachers?
§ MR. MADDENThe attention of the Irish Government has been called to the resolutions referred to. It is the case that the proportion of wholly illiterate persons appears to be larger in Ireland than in Great Britain. I have no special information as to the cause of this disproportion; but there is no reason to suppose that the hon. Member's contention is not accurate. However desirable a system of compulsory education for Ireland might be, it would not be practicable to consider the matter with a view to legislation at the present time.