§ MR. BOLANDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state what were the terms of the arrangement by which the present First Lord of the Treasury, in 1259 the year 1890, established equality between the Government Training College in Marlborough Street, Dublin, and the training colleges under private management, and since that time from what source has building expenditure been met in the case of Marlborough Street College.
I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state whether, since the settlement made by the present First Lord of the Treasury in the year 1890, any building grants or their equivalent have been made to any training college, denominational or undenominational, in Ireland; and, if not, will he explain why it is proposed now to grant £50,000 for buildings to Marlborough Street College without any corresponding grant to any other college.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe decision arrived at in 1890 by the Irish Government, with the consent of the Treasury, was to place the three Denominational training colleges in Dublin (two Roman Catholic and one Church of Ireland) on an equality of treatment as to building grants, with that previously accorded to the Undenominational training college under the management of the Commissioners. The arrangement took effect from 1st April, 1892, and provision has since been made in the Annual Estimates for payment of a sum, calculated at 5 per cent, upon the capitalised value of the buildings, to cover the cost of housing of the three colleges mentioned. The provision for this service in the current year's Estimate for Public Education is £3,580. The effect of the arrangement, paradoxical as it may seem, has been, however, to place the Undenominational college under the management of the Commissioners, in a position of marked inferiority in the matter of both buildings and equipment, as compared with the Denominational colleges. Repeated complaints have been made as to the unsuitable and insanitary conditions of the residence for students at the Undenominational college, and in order to provide a remedy for an admitted grievance it is proposed to make a grant of £50,000 for new buildings for their accommodation. Provision is also made 1260 in the same Estimate for an annual grant of £5,000 for additional scholars attending the Denominational colleges.; The capitalised value of this sum is £142,855. Building expenditure in the; case of the Marlborough Street Undenominational College has been met, since 1890, out of the accumulated savings on the Fixed Grants voted under Sub-head C. of the Vote for Public Education. These grants are of the nature of capitation grants made to all, training colleges alike, and are not surrenderable to the Exchequer.