HC Deb 24 June 1898 vol 60 cc35-6
MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland have power to so alter their rules as to prevent arbitrary dismissal by school managers of teachers who, though no fault as to conduct or teaching qualifications or capacity has been proved or alleged against them, have no right of appeal tinder existing rules against such dismissal; and whether the Commissioners propose to make such alterations in their rules, especially in view of recent occurrences; if not, whether Government has power to reconstitute the Board of Commissioners so as to give the teachers representation thereupon; and, if so, whether the Government intend to exercise this power, or take any other steps that may be necessary to safeguard National school teachers against arbitrary dismissal by school managers?

MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. GERALD BALFOUR)

The Commissioners have power to alter any of their rules with the sanction of the Lord Lieutenant. The Commissioners consider that the expression "arbitrary dismissal" in the first part of the Question is not a correct one, in view of the provision in the agreements, that must, in all cases, be executed between managers and teachers of National schools, under which notice of dismissal must be given three months beforehand to the teacher, unless there be sufficient cause for immediate dismissal. The Commissioners in 1895 adopted two additional forms of agreement, which provide for a referee, without whose written concurrence in the action of the manager there can be neither immediate dismissal of the teacher nor the issue to him of the three months' notice. This provision was the result of much consideration by the Commissioners. The referee may be an individual or a committee, or other body, or may be the Commissioners of National Education themselves. The Commissioners have not yet fully considered whether further modifications of their regulations in the direction referred to by the honourable Member would be proper or expedient.