HC Deb 06 June 1901 vol 94 cc1217-8
MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that there are professors of Irish in the train- ing colleges of Drumcondra and Bagot Street, Dublin, and Waterford, and that no special grant is made to these colleges, or any of them, to meet the cost thus incurred; can he say whether the Marlborough Street (Dublin) College is at any disadvantage as regards its funds which would constitute a reason for its not having a professor of Irish as well as other training colleges; and is he aware that teachers in the Marlborough Street College are trained for the Irish-speaking as well as the non-Irish-speaking districts in Ireland; and seeing that the Marlborough Street College is under the uncontrolled management of the Commissioners, who for some years past have allowed the use of Irish by the teachers in schools in Irish-speaking districts and have recently advised it, whether the Government can take any steps to remove this inequality.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM, Dover)

There is a professor of Irish in St. Patrick's, Drumcondra. There is, I am informed, no official record of such professors in Bagot Street, or in Waterford College; but in the latter it appears from correspondence that Irish is taught by a member of the staff. In reply to the second paragraph, all the recognised training colleges are on the same footing in respect of grants from public sources made on account of King's Scholars trained therein. Teachers are trained for Irish-speaking districts in Marlborough Street. In reply to the third paragraph, this matter is now the subject of inter-departmental correspondence between the Irish Government and the Board of Education.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

I will repeat the question at a later period, especially with regard to the last paragraph.

MR. WYNDHAM

Perhaps the hon. Member will allow a week or so to elapse.