§ MR. JAMES O'CONNORI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in case the new rule (127b) of the National Board of Education in Ireland is put in operation, the salary of the national school teacher in Aughrin, county Wick-low, will be reduced from £130 to £56 a year; and, if so, will the teacher be given full compensation foe the reduction in his income of £74 a year.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that it is very unlikely that the rule will affect this teacher's income in the manner suggested. I will take this opportunity of stating the result of my personal examination into the operation of the rule, which I undertook co make, during my visit to Ireland. The rule was designedly framed in the interests of boys under eight years of age who had received little or no instruction in schools where there were no mistresses, and especially in schools with only one male teacher. The necessity for such a rule was strongly pointed out in Mr. Dale's Report on primary education. I have received full assurances that the rule will not prejudicially affect the incomes of existing teachers. It will result in the removal of the great educational disadvantage attending the present over-subdivision of schools for boys and girls, by extending the system 321 of mixed for separate schools. I am informed that there are, at the present moment, as many as 2,247 mixed national schools under Catholic management in Ireland. The Treasury have agreed to an arrangement by which the principal teachers of schools proposed to be amalgamated may be recognised in the combined schools, one as principal and the other, or others, as assistant teachers, such assistant teachers to be secured from any reduction of salary in consequence of amalgamation.
§ MR. JAMES O'CONNORIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this school teacher has been informed by the National Board that his salary is to be reduced.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am not aware of that. My Answer is based on the information I have received from the National Board. If the hon. Member will send particulars of individual cases I will inquire.
§ MR. JAMES O'CONNORWill the present teachers suffer any damage by a reduction of salary?
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe conclusion j arrived at by the Board is that they will not.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENSeeing that all the managers and teachers are against this rule, does the right hon. Gentleman think it reasonable to put it into operation?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am not sure they are all against it. Naturally if the result were to be an immediate reduction of salary the teachers might object, but if that is averted they may not.
§ MR. MACVEAGHWill the teachers be heard before the National Board?
§ MR. WALTER LONGThey have made their views known, arid have been told that no injustice will be done them. If individual cases of injustice are brought to my notice I will inquire into them.