MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to pay the arrears of fee grant admittedly due to the Irish national teachers; whether 281 portions of these fees have already been paid; whether the balance was promised on condition that the teachers would not re-open the new pension rules; and will he explain how a connection is held to exist between the Pension Act of 1879 and the Irish Education Act of 1892.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.With the assent of the. National Education Board, the sum which was found to be due on account of these arrears was paid to the Teachers' Pension Fund, except a small part due to a class of schools whose teachers receive no benefit from that Fund; and the teachers not satisfied with this have asked that it shall also be paid to them. I could only sanction this on the terms which I stated last Session, and I am told that, so far from these terms having been accepted, some action has been taken on behalf of the teachers towards testing the legality of the new Pension Rules in a court of law.