§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a portion of the money voted by Parliament for technical instruction in Ireland is being withheld in Waterford and elsewhere; will he state the amount of the grant under Section 2 of the Technical Instruction Act, 1889, to which the County of Waterford would be entitled, and what is the reason that information as to this grant has not been furnished by the Department; whether any difficulties have been created by the Treasury as to the advancement of this money; and whether any correspondence has taken place between the Treasury and the South Kensington Department of Science and Art and the Department of Technical Instruction in Ireland on this subject; and, if so, has he any objection to publish it.
§ MR. ATKINSONThis Question relates to the grant in aid of technical instruction under the Technical Instruction Acts of 1889 and 1891. The Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction has been advised that there is some doubt whether the grants formerly paid under these Acts, the administration of which has been transferred to the Department, are now legally available upon the same conditions as previously, having regard to the provision of the Endowment of £55,000 for Technical Instruction under the Agriculture and Technical Instruction Act of 1899. This point is engaging the consideration of the Department, but for the present an arrangement has been made by which those localities which have availed themselves of the provisions of the Acts of 1889 and 1891, will be entitled to a grant for three years from the 569 academic year, in respect of which the grants are now being determined. The amount of this grant will not exceed the amount payable under the Acts in respect of the year 1900–1901. No portion of the money voted by Parliament for technical instruction in Ireland is being withheld in Waterford or elsewhere. The sum of £3,500 was voted in the year 1901–1902 and is applicable to those localities which availed themselves of the provisions of the Acts. It does not appear that Waterford is one of these localities. In answer to the concluding inquiry, the correspondence that has taken place, and which is still proceeding, is departmental and it is not proposed to publish it.
§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)Is it not the fact that the Department of Agriculture more than a year ago issued their memoranda to the County Councils and Local Authorities in Ireland giving a solemn and unconditional pledge that an equal amount would be granted under these Acts to any rate raised by the Local Authority; and is it not also the fact that on the faith of that statement rates have been raised? Do the Government now intend to break their pledge?
§ MR. ATKINSONNegotiations therefore ask are for pending, and I must notice.
§ MR. DILLONI give notice that I shall ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will not reconsider the decision of the Government not to publish Papers.
§ MR. ATKINSONI shall have to communicate with the Department as to that.