§ MR. O'DOWD (Sligo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in view of the fact that the former teacher of Achonry National School, county Sligo. was dismissed for incompetence by the National Board in June, 1899; that the manager neglected to appoint another teacher, with the result that the school was struck off the rolls, and the boys of the neighbourhood were obliged to go to the girls' school, against the wishes of parents and clergy; that a new school was opened by the parish priest in June, 1902, to which a qualified teacher was appointed, and at which, since that period, the average attendance has been about forty-five; if he will explain why this school has not yet been recognised by the National Board, in view of the resolution from the managers of the diocese of Achonry protesting against the action of the Board, and demanding that the school be recognised.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAN, Dover)The teacher was not dismissed. Grants to the male school were withdrawn because 913 it failed to maintain an average of twenty pupils. The female school was thereupon recognised as a mixed school. The application made by the parish priest in respect of the school recently opened by him was considered by the Commissioners in April. They decided to withhold aid to this school on the ground that it was unsuitable, and that the existing mixed school had satisfied the educational requirements of the locality for some years