§ MR. O'MALLEY (Galway, Connemara)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Census Returns just issued for the County of Galway show that 9,442 inhabitants of that county cannot speak English; and whether he would state what provision is made for the education of this minority of the population, 4,000 of whom are of an age to attend school.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham). The figures in the first part of the Question 515 are correct. Of these, the number of children between three and eighteen years of age is 2,458. The Commissioners of National Education prescribe courses in which teachers who desire to show their proficiency in Irish may be examined. Courses are also prescribed for pupils in Irish, and special fees on a liberal scale are awarded to approved teachers of Irish. An inspector is employed whose special function is to supervise the teaching of Irish, including the examination of schools in which the language is taught. The Commissioners further desire that where there are Irish-speaking pupils in a school the teachers shall, when practicable, employ the vernacular as an aid to the elucidation and acquisition of the English language, and inspectors are at liberty to employ the vernacular in the conduct of their examination.