§ MR. REDDY (King's County, Birr)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Reverend P. O'Halloran, having taught Irish as an extra subject in the Shinrone National School, presented his class for examination on August 9th, 1904; that twenty-four of the pupils successfully passed the examination; and that the Commissioners of National Education on September 17th refused to 319 pay any fees on the ground that the teacher was a clergyman; and can he state on what rule this decision was based.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe manager of this school was informed by the Commissioners that payment to a clergyman for giving instruction in extra branches could not be allowed. Classes in extra subjects must be open to pupils of all denominations, and instruction by a clergyman would be calculated to confine the attendance to pupils of a given denomination. Under Rule 74 no clergyman can be recognised as the teacher of a day national school.