§ MR. BOLANDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland can he state the number of schools in which, according to the latest Returns, fees for Irish were paid during the last year; the number of pupils paid for instruction in Irish in these schools during the past year, the number of pupils in standards higher than first, in average attendance at these schools during the past year; the amount of special fees for Irish paid in these schools during the past year; the amount of fees which would have been paid in these schools if payment under the proposed new regulations was made for every pupil in the school in average attendance in standards higher than the first.
MR. BRYCEI am informed by the Commissioners of National Education that the number of schools in which fees were paid for Irish during the past year was 1,234, and the number of pupils in respect of whose instruction in Irish fees were paid was 25,265. No Returns are, I am informed, available from which it can be ascertained how many pupils, in standards higher than the first, were in 794 average attendance during the past year. The amount of special fees for Irish paid in these schools last year was £11,613. The Commissioners cannot estimate the amount of fees which would have been paid in the circumstances mentioned in the last paragraph.