§ MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his sanction has been given to the notice issued by the Commissioners of National Education to managers neutralising the effect of Rule 82 (b) dealing with grants in aid of local contributions to existing vested schools, whether vested in the Commissioners or in trustees, for adding to or enlarging them, for enclosing sites, for other desirable or necessary structural changes or improvements, or for repairs rendered necessary by storms; and, if not, will the Commissioners be asked to carry out this rule as printed in their authorised edition, by aiding in repairing all schools injured by the late storm.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverNo, Sir. Such notices or circulars are issued by the Commissioners and do not require the approval of the Executive. In the present case, I understand that it became necessary to point out to school managers that some misconception had arisen with respect to the application of the rule referred to. The Commissioners explained that they cannot make grants in aid of ordinary repairs to schools vested in trustees, even though the need for such may be at ributable directly or indirectly to storms. The rule was only intended to provide for repairs of a pressing nature and where it is essential to prevent the school-house being closed altogether owing to serious and exceptional damage done to the structure by storms.