§ DR. KENNY (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether he is aware that Mrs. Carey, late teacher of the Leighlinbridge, County Carlow, Female National School, was on the 9th of August, 1892, served with a three months' notice of dismissal by the manager of the said school, the Rev. J. Connolly, P.P.; (2) whether the notice alleged any cause for Mrs. Carey's dismissal, and whether Mrs. Carey had been over 20 years a teacher with an excellent record; (3) is he aware that on the 11th of August, 1892, Mrs. Carey's husband himself, teacher of the Leighlinbridge Male National School, appealed to the Rev. Father Connolly to permit Mrs. Carey to complete her term of service so as to entitle her to full pension, and that this request was refused by Father Connolly; that subsequently, on the 29th of August, 1892, Mrs. Carey, by letters, requested Father Connolly to specify the grounds on which he was about to dismiss her, but received no reply to her letter; that before the expiration of the three mouths' notice, on the 14th of September, 1892, Father Connolly informed Mrs. Carey he would not even permit her to complete the three mouths, and tendered her instead a cheque in payment of salary for the period; (4) whether he is aware that on Mrs. Carey refusing the cheque she was informed by the rev. gentleman that if she did not accept he would peremptorily dismiss her husband also from his post by a three mouths' notice; (5) whether he is aware that Mrs. Carey then laid her case before the Bishop of the Diocese, the Most Rev. Dr. Lynch, and that after inquiry by his Lordship, she was on 16th October, 1892, restored to her position; that subsequently Father Connolly made charges against Mrs. Carey before the National Board which were investigated by Head Inspector of National Schools, Mr. Connellan, and Mrs. Carey exonerated from blame; (6) whether he is aware that Mrs. Carey is now an inmate of a lunatic asylum; and (7) whether, if the facts are 566 substantially as stated in question, he will seriously consider the necessity of legislating with as little delay as possible to put an end in Ireland to a managerial system under which these occurrences could take place?
MK. J. MORLEY(1-2.) The statements in the first two paragraphs of the question are substantially accurate. No cause was assigned for the dismissal of Mrs. Carey. (3-4-5.) The allegations in the third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs are in accordance with the statements made in the correspondence which took place in the case. It is not correct, however, to say that Mrs. Carey was exonerated from blame on the Report of the Head Inspector after the investigation of the complaints preferred against her by the manager. Of six charges made against her, the Commissioners practically exonerated her as regards five; but on the sixth charge they decided that it was sufficiently established and caused Mrs. Carey to be admonished. (6) There is no foundation for the statement in the sixth paragraph that Mrs. Carey is an inmate of a lunatic asylum. On the contrary, she is still schoolmistress at the school in question. (7) Regarding the concluding paragraph, the Commissioners inform me that this is an entirely isolated case in its leading particulars, and has had no parallel in the history of the National system for the past 60 years.
§ MR. A. O'CONNORIn view of the serious character of the allegations contained in the questions, will the right hon. Gentleman direct a sworn inquiry?