HC Deb 26 July 1897 vol 51 cc1079-80
MR. VESEY KNOX (Londonderry)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he could explain why drawing is not a compulsory subject in Irish, as it is in English, elementary schools.

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The Commissioners are anxious to extend the teaching of drawing as far as possible, and with a view to increasing the number of qualified instructors in this subject they have made drawing compulsory for teachers and Queen's scholars seeking promotion in the new programme lately issued. The question of still further extending the teaching of this subject is reserved pending the Report of the Commission on Manual Instruction.