§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received from the Irish National Teachers' Organisation a resolution, unanimously adopted at the recent congress of teachers held in Waterford, demanding, in the interests of education, that assistant teachers of ten years' efficient service be awarded the salary of second grade teachers, and be eligible for the increments of the grade; whether the National Board have approved of this demand; whether he will state the amount that would be annually required to carry it out; and when will he place on the Estimates this sum.
* MR. BRYCEI have received from the National Teachers' Organisation a number of resolutions including that referred to in the Question. I have already informed the hon. Member that the Commissioners of National Education cannot state what amount would be required to make the change suggested without the preparation of a return involving considerable labour. The Commissioners, however, estimate that if all the demands made in the resolutions were conceded, the Vote would be increased from its present amount of less than £1,400,000 to considerably over £3,000,000. The Commissioners do not approve of the demand referred to in the
† See Col. 572.1169 Question. As I have stated on several occasions, the whole question of the teachers' salaries will receive consideration, but I am not yet prepared to make any detailed statement on the subject.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLDoes the right hon. Gentleman say it would cost over £3,000,000, to grant the claims of these assistant teachers?
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLWhat would it cost to meet the demands of this particular section—;to give the increase to second grade teachers?