§ MR. JOSEPH DEVLIN (Kilkenny, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the effect on boys' schools in Ireland of the rules of the Commissioners of Education, by which boys under eight years of age are ineligible for enrolment in a boys' school unless there is an assistant-mistress on the staff; and whether, in view of this fact, he will have these rules superseded.
ME. P. A. Mc HUGH (Leitrim, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland how many men teachers is the new rule of the National Board (127b) likely to throw out of employment, and how many to place on reduced salaries; do the Commissioners intend that the rule shall apply to teachers in the service at present; and, in the event of the amalgamation of small schools, will the principal teachers of such schools, when reduced in rank, be allowed the salaries and pension rights previously held by them.
(Answered by Mr. Atkinson.) It is not practicable to reply to these Questions to-day, as the inquiries that are being made are not yet complete. I would 1177 ask the hon. Members to postpone them until Thursday next.