§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the salaries of teachers of Irish primary schools are only two-thirds of English and four-sevenths of those of Scotch teachers; whether having regard to the difficulty of finding a sufficient supply of properly qualified teachers in some districts, he will take any steps to remedy this difference; and if so, at what time and in what manner he proposes to do so.
MR. BRYCEThe Commissioners of National Education have furnished me with figures which show that the fact is substantially as stated in the first part of the Question so far as regards the masters, but that in the case of the mistresses the difference between Irish salaries and those in Great Britain is less marked. In the opinion of the Commissioners, these differences are largely due to the greater amount of local aid given in Great Britain, and to the fact that schools in Ireland are relatively far more numerous and consequently far smaller than in Great Britain. I have already stated that the whole question of National School teacher's salaries is to receive consideration, but I can make no further statement on the subject at present.