HC Deb 19 June 1906 vol 159 cc54-5
MR. BOLAND

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the official statement made by the executive committee of the Gaelic League with reference to the revised scheme for the teaching of Irish in the national schools; whether he is aware that objection is taken by the Gaelic League on the grounds, amongst others, that infants and the first class have been excluded, that the proposed foes are so small as to be quite nugatory, and that the total expenditure in remuneration of the teaching of Irish has been reduced from about £12,000 to under £6,000, and perhaps to a much smaller amount; and can he say what steps he proposes to take in the matter with a view to giving effect to the changes requested by the Gaelic League.

MR. BRYCE

The abolition of the former scheme for the teaching of Irish was decided upon before His Majesty's present Government came into office, and they found that no provision was being made for giving further aid in the matter. The present provision is a new one, and is in addition to the £12,000 which was diverted by the late Government from the teaching of Irish to the payment of additional assistant mistresses. It is not the case that the total expenditure upon the teaching of Irish has been reduced to below £6,000. I do not quite know what changes the Gaelic League desire to be made. Everyone interested in the teaching of Irish has had full opportunity of stating views and offering suggestions. I have myself frequently invited suggestions, but though I have received objections and remarks on the general question, I have had hardly any positive suggestions for the improvement of this particular plan. Though the amount to be expended is smaller than under the former plan, there is every ground for expecting the educational results to be much better than were previously attained. It is the wish of the Irish Government to give every proper help to the teaching of Irish, subject to the condition that other essential subjects are not interfered with; and I believe the new scheme will have that effect. It is, however, a provisional scheme only, and I shall be happy during the next few months to reconsider the whole question, duly weighing any suggestions regarding the teaching of Irish which may be sent to me.