§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELL (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Secretary to the Irish National Education Board has written to a teacher stating that, under the operation of the new rule 127 (b), the teacher's salary may be reduced from £140 to £56 per annum; whether there is any other branch of the public service in which, when reforms are being effected, the men who have spent their lives in the service are so sacrificed; and whether, in the working of this rule, steps will be taken to insure that no teacher at present in the service will be injuriously affected.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe manager of the Aughrim Boys' and Girls' National Schools was informed on the 21st March that if the average attendance at the boys' school fell below thirty-five the salary of the principal teacher would be reduced from £130 to £116 per annum, and that if the average fell below twenty it would be reduced to £56 per annum; but he was told at the same time that rule 127 (b) applied only to future enrolments, and it was suggested that the best course to adopt would be to amalgamate the boys' and girls' schools, making the master the principal of the combined school. If this were done the salary of the master would not be reduced, but, on the contrary, would be increased, and he would become eligible for promotion to the highest grade of teachers, as the average attendance at the combined school would be over seventy. The salary of the mistress would remain, as at present, under special Treasury sanction. I may add that I will take the earliest opportunity of thoroughly investigating this matter, 466 and I would ask hon. Members to be good enough to defer any further Questions on the subject until after the Easter recess.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLIs it not the fact that 160,000 children under eight years of age will be transferred under this rule, and that the Treasury will thus effect a saving of £75,000 yearly.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe duty of the Treasury is to see that the public money is properly spent without injustice either to the public or to the employed.