§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland have taken into their consideration the statement and resolution which the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, with the Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh in the chair, adopted on the 14th ult., in opposition to the policy of amalga- 1396 mating boys' and girls' schools; and, if so, whether the Commissioners propose I to make any modification of the rules to which the Catholic hierarchy have taken objection.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am informed that the statement and resolution referred to were not communicated to the Commissioners, and that consequently they were not formally considered by the Commissioners. The policy of amalgamation is not a new policy, as I have already pointed out that before the adoption of the new rules there were as many as 2,247 mixed national schools under Roman Catholic management. At the meeting of the Commissioners held on April 28th last the Bishop of Kildare's amendment to Rule 186 (the chief rule on this subject) was unanimously accepted by the Board. The Board do not propose to make any further modification of the rule.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDAm I to infer that the National Board were not aware of this resolution of the hierarchy because it was not officially communicated to them?
§ MR. WALTER LONGAlthough it was not formally communicated to them I have no doubt they had cognisance of it from the Press, and no doubt it was in their minds when they came to a decison. I imagine they read the newspapers like other people.