§ MR. DOLANTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the recent public pronouncements of Dr. Traill on compulsory retirement of teachers for enforced inefficiency, he will cause a public inquiry to be made into the injustice alleged to be done to teachers under the National Board.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that there is no reason whatever for a public inquiry into this matter. The dismissal of teachers for inefficiency since 1900 has, the Commissioners inform me, not been due to the abolition of the results system which was effected in that year. In the great majority of cases the teachers so dismissed had been censured for inefficiency prior to 1900. The Commissioners are having a Return prepared showing the record prior to 1900 of each teacher dismissed during the past five years.