§ MR. McKEAN (Monaghan, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is 597 aware that the unpunctuality of the Intermediate Education Board in publishing the annual programme of examinations has been complained of by head masters and teachers for some years past; whether he will urge on the Board the necessity of publishing the programme early in April, as was originally the practice; and whether he will further represent to the Board the inconvenience to schools and teachers occasioned by prescribing for study text books which at the time have not been edited or published.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed by the Intermediate Education Board that they have not undertaken to publish their rules and programme for any year at any fixed date, and that consequently no question of punctuality arises. It is expected that the rules and programme for the year 1907 will be ready for publication next month. The Board are taking steps to obviate the inconvience referred to in the concluding part of the Question.