§ MR. PATRICK M'HUGH (Leitrim, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a considerable portion of the Residual School Grant due to Irish national teachers for the year 1896 is still unpaid, although it should have been paid in January; will he explain the cause of the delay, and take steps to insure that the teachers are promptly paid all sums due to to them?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe residual portion of the School Grant is payable in five instalments. Of these, four are paid quarterly, but there is no engagement or obligation on the part of the Commissioners of National Education to pay the fifth instalment, or outstanding balance, in the month of January. Payment of the balance could not be made until the average daily 490 attendance of pupils is first ascertained from the School Returns for the year ended 31st December, as the amount of the entire School Grant, and therefore also the amount of the balance, is proportional to the average daily attendance of pupils. In many cases the School Returns were not furnished in January. The balance will now be paid as promptly as possible.