§ MR. CLANCYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mrs. Bowen, who, having been assistant teacher in the Howth Male National School for 17 years, received notice of dismissal from that post in the last quarter of last year, on the ground that a new schoolhouse having been built to which the pupils had been transferred from the old one, her appointment was to be considered as a new one front the date of the transfer, and, therefore, one which could not now be made under the rules; is he aware that Mrs. Bowen was also called on the same ground to refund the salary paid to her between the date of the transfer to the new school and the date of the application: and whether he will take steps to disallow the decision of the National Board, anti restore Mrs. Bowen to her position of assistant teacher?
*MR. J. MORLEYThe facts appear to be substantially as stated in the question. The Commissioners of National Education report, however, that Mrs. Bowen's former employment was a very exceptional arrangement, which was terminated when the new schools became vested in August of last year. No objection would have been raised by the Commissioners had Mrs. Bowen been appointed by the Manager as teacher of the new vested girls' school, but he appointed her instead to the boys' school, contrary to the express provision of the Rule, which states that
A female teacher, whether Principal or Assistant, will not be recognised in a boys school unless it is attended by infant pupils only.The Commissioners have no power to recognise Mrs. Bowen in the new school for boys.
§ MR. CLANCYIs it not the fact that the reasons given for dismissing Mrs. Bowen are pure nonsense?
§ [No answer was given.]