§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has knowledge of the resolution passed on 11th instant by the Central Executive of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation respecting the grievances of assistant teachers in Irish national schools; and, whether any steps have been taken by the Commissioners of National Education to remedy these grievances, in view of the fact that the responsibility of doing so^ was cast upon that Board by the Chief Secretary last year; and, if not, what is the cause of the delay in dealing with the grievances of these public servants?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI have seen a copy of the resolution mentioned in the first paragraph. The Commissioners state that, as the position of an assistant teacher involves less responsibility than that of a principal teacher, they do not consider it desirable that an assistant should have a salary equal to that of a principal. The Commissioners have not made any representations in favour of the salaries of assistant teachers; any such representations, if made, will, of course, receive the consideration of the Irish Government, though, in saying this, I must not be understood as expressing any opinion on the merits of such a proposal. The second paragraph of the Question does not correctly represent what I stated on the occasion referred to. All that I said was that I cannot exercise any authority over the Commissioners of National Education, and that the initiative in Administrative matters rests with them.