§ MR. EDWARD BARRY (Cork County, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Cornelius O'Callaghan, N.T., Cloonkeen, Leap, was suspended in 1904; and whether, seeing that there was an epidemic of measles in the district when the inspector made his report of the school, and that although the Rev. M. Cunningham, P.P., manager of the school, requested a re-examination he was refused, and that after a service of twenty-nine years this teacher's salary was withdrawn and a pension refused, steps will be taken to fully investigate the circumstances of the case with a view of reinstating O'Callaghan in his former position.
MR. BRYCEI am informed by the Commissioners of National Education that on the 10th May, 1904, Mr. O'Callaghan was removed from the principalship of Clonkeen boys' school. In that year, and for a series of years previously, the reports on his work were of an extremely unfavourable character, and he had been repeatedly censured and once fined. In July, 1904, the manager made a request for a re-examination of the school, but the application was not entertained. Mr. O'Callaghan was in any case ineligible for a pension by reason of insufficient age. The Commissioners inform me that they do not propose to re-investigate the case.