§ MR. VESEY KNOX (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether the National Board refuse to recognise the fact that a large fair is being held outside a school as a reasonable cause for closing a school for the day, even when the children could not, without great difficulty, make their way to the school?
MR. J. MORLEYThe Commissioners require in every case where schools are closed for a longer period than the prescribed limit of 40 school days, exclusive of Saturdays and holidays, that the cause of closing for the excess days shall be shown to be of a reasonable and necessary character. The holding of a fair in the locality of a National School does not in all instances render it necessary to deprive the children, or at least a large proportion of them, of the benefit of school instruction on the fair days; but should the circumstances be such as to render it reasonable and proper that the school should be closed, the Commissioners would not refuse to recognise the fact, and would not withdraw payment for such days.