§ MR. DONAL SULLIVAN (Westmeath, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the results examination of the school of the Irish National Teacher, who, having been summoned to the July examination of 1889 as a candidate for promotion, attended, and passed that examination, and from whom promotion was withheld, was postponed in 1887, as well as in 1888, from Juno to August, and that these postponements necessitated, on the 24th June, 1889, an examination of his school on the full 12 months' course of instruction, although the pupils were only 10 months in their classes, the Commissioners will make any allowance for the peculiar circumstances connected with this teacher's results examination of 1889, over which, he had no control; did the Inspector inspect this teacher's school since the results examination of 24th June, 1889; and, if not, what were his reasons for withholding from the Commissioners, when furnishing them with his Report on the results examination of 24th June, 1889, the information he conveyed to them by his special letter in December, 1889, which information led the Commissioners to decide that promotion was not warranted, notwithstanding their notification when the Report on the results examination of 24th June, 1889, was under observation, that this teacher's promotion would be made conditional on the state of his school during the current school year; when the accuracy of the statements made in an Inspector's Report is impeached, what is the mode of procedure adopted by the Commissioners; and, whether, under these circumstances, he will recommend the teacher for his promotion
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.The Commissioners of National Education report that, before they arrived at their final decision in the case of the teacher referred to, they gave careful consideration to all the circumstances. They have also subsequently reconsidered the case, and find no ground for departing from that decision. (2.) The Commissioners state that the Inspector did not inspect the school since the 24th Juno, 1889, and that he did not withhold any information from them, but the correspondence which arose out of the results examination, determined the Commissioners in their decision that the teacher could not be promoted. (3.) The course alluded to in the third paragraph is to refer the complaint in the first instance to the Inspector for his remarks. The Commissioners then determine if any ulterior action is called for. The Commissioners state that they must adhere to their decision in the case.