§ MR. MACVEAGHTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the feeling which exists in Ireland concerning the treatment which the new regulations mete out to national teachers placed unexpectedly in grades lower than their respective classes, he will consider during the recess the claims put forward by managers and teachers, to allow such teachers to come up to the grades corresponding to their classes on the conditions required for awarding increments without being subjected to the conditions laid down for promotion.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) The position of teachers of high classification who were in the service for some time prior to 1900 is much better under the new system than under the old. The incomes of these teachers under the results system, although fluctuating slightly from year to year, might be regarded as practically stationary. On the introduction of the new system, however, in April, 1900, not only were they awarded incomes at least equal to their average emoluments under the old system for the three years ended 31st March, 1900, but they were at the same time placed on an upward sliding scale of salaries, unless in the few exceptional cases of teachers whose average incomes were equal to or in excess of the highest salary attainable under the new system. In order that teachers may obtain the incremental additions of salary provided under the new system, the Commissioners require that satisfactory service should be given, and, in the case of teachers passing from one grade to a higher grade, the service must be specially meritorious. If a teacher then has not obtained promotion to a higher grade, it is because the conditions which the Commissioners have laid down
† See page 102409 in their rules, and which they think it would be unwise to depart from, have not been fulfilled.