§ MR. SLOANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that assistant teachers of over fifteen years' service appointed to principalships since 1st April, 1900, and whose schools maintain an average of over thirty pupils, who were included in the first class of national teachers, are graded under the new rules as third grade teachers, their pay being less than the maximum salary attached to that grade; and whether he will take steps to include these teachers in the first grade.
§ MR. WYNDHAMI am informed that the cases of assistants highly classed 918 under the rules hitherto in force, but not receiving full class salary, may be specially considered on their promotion to principalships. It does not follow that such teachers will be placed in the grades corresponding to their classes, nor could any such rule as the hon. Member suggests be made. The grade of teachers depends on training, ability, and general attainments, good service, seniority, and the average attendance at the school in which the teacher is serving, and all these matters must be considered when determining the grade of an assistant on promotion to a principalship.