HC Deb 14 February 1895 vol 30 cc728-9
DR. KENNY

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it has been brought to his notice that Mr. Quinlivan, recently school teacher to the Stradbally (Queen's County) National School, has been dismissed from his post by the Manager, the Rev. Mr. Brennan, P.P., without any cause assigned, and that the Rev. Mr. Brennan took forcible possession of the school by breaking in the door; whether the police were present on the occasion; and, if so, for what reason and by whose directions were they present; whether he is aware that Mr. Quinlivan, relying on the recent resolution of the Bishops at Maynooth, that an appeal would lie to the Bishop of the Diocese in all such cases as above, did appeal to the Bishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Lynch, and the coadjutor Bishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Comerford, the latter of whom replied that he could not interfere, and the former did not reply at all; and, whether he will cause an inquiry into this case?

MR. J. MORLEY

The National Education Board inform me that in 1892 the School referred to was reported as in a very unsatisfactory state, both as to discipline and order of the school and the efficiency of the instruction. In November of that year the teacher, Mr. Quinlivan, was severely reprimanded by the Commissioners. A similar report upon the school was made in 1893, and the attention of the Manager, the Revd. Mr. Brennan, having been drawn to the state of affairs, he gave the teacher three months' notice of removal. The Manager, however, did not carry out his intention of removing the teacher at the end of this period, but extended to him further time, and subsequently gave him a final three months' notice, which expired in November last. The police were not asked to remain in the neighbourhood on the occasion of the breaking open the door of the school, but they were requested to be in the neighbourhood when the new teacher opened the school about a month afterwards. The case does not appear to be one calling for further inquiry.

DR. KENNY

I wish to ask whether it is not a fact that Mr. Brennan tried to get him another school in the neighbourhood, and, whether the right lion. Gentleman in the proposed legislation which he has foreshadowed, will take care that such autocratic power shall not be left in the hands of school managers?

MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)

Is it a fact that this teacher's case was so bad that the other teachers in the school refused to have anything to do with him?

MR. J. MORLEY

was understood to say that he did not remember ever having promised legislation on the subject.