§ MR. MAURICE HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland have, in their programme just issued, reduced the number of marks assigned to the Irish language in the preparatory grade from 600 to 500, as against 1,200 each for Greek and Latin and 700 each for French and German, Irish being now placed on a lower grade than any other language except Italian, with which it is now placed on an equality; what is the object of this action of the Board; and, whether, in view of the fact that the number of scholars presented for examination in Irish has steadily increased for some years past, and that there were more scholars presented for examination in Irish last year than in German, Italian, and Spanish put together, the Board will reconsider their decision in the matter?
§ CAPTAIN DONELANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that, under the new regulations relating to the Intermediate Education Examinations in Ireland for 1897, the marks assigned to the Celtic language and literature have been reduced from 600 to 500, although the number of students taking up Irish has more than trebled during the past three years; and whether, in view of the fact that 700 marks are assigned to French and German respectively, he will suggest to the Board the desirability of placing Irish upon an equality with these two foreign languages?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIn reply to this Question and that standing in the name of the hon. and gallant Member for East Cork, I am informed that the marks assigned to Celtic in the preparatory grade have been reduced from 600 to 500 in the programme for 1897, but that no reduction has been made in the marks in any of the other three grades of Celtic. The marks assigned to Greek, Latin, French, and German are as stated. The reduction in the preparatory grade in Celtic is represented by the Board as being in the interest of students selecting Celtic as one of their subjects. Taking into account girls as well as boys, it is not the fact that in 1895 a larger number of students presented themselves for examination in Irish than in German, Italian, and Spanish put together.