MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether the new rules of the South Kensington Science and Art Department prohibit the pupils of national schools in Ireland being enrolled in the science classes; whether the teachers who are thus deprived of the result fees for science subjects are allowed an equivalent; upon what grounds and by whom were the Irish national school pupils deprived of the advantages of these science classes; and whether he will consider the advisability of re-establishing the rule which allowed the pupils of sixth and higher classes of Irish national schools to be enrolled in science classes?
§ SIR J. GORSTThe new rule, which applies to Great Britain as well as Ireland, is intended to prevent the scholars in elementary schools from earning a double grant for a single attendance— one from the Education and the other 1037 from the Science and Art authorities. No compensation is to be paid to teachers because such an abuse of the grants is prevented. The Irish elementary pupils have as ample opportunities of learning science as those in other parts of the United Kingdom, as day scholars in the elementary schools, and as evening scholars under the Science and Art Department. No change in the rule is contemplated.