§ MR. M'GHEE (Louth, South)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in view of the fact that the Board of Commissioners for National Education in Ireland have issued an order to the teachers of national schools, directing them to purchase books and stationery exclusively from the Education Department on Dublin, whether he is aware that these books are not printed nor is the paper manufactured by the Education Board, and that both the books and paper can be obtained on much cheaper terms from the ordinary booksellers and stationers; and will he countermand an order which inflicts additional expense and inconvenience on the public by creating a monopoly in favour of a Government Department?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Commissioners are not aware that books and paper of the quality supplied by them can be obtained from ordinary booksellers and stationers. The rule made by the Commissioners as to the purchase of school requisites from their stores was considered necessary in the interests of the pupils, in order to secure that the goods supplied were of approved quality, and in strict accordance with the editions and samples sanctioned by the Commissioners, and that the children should not be charged more than the cost price. I have no power to interfere in the arrangements made in this respect by the Commissioners.