MR. EDWARD BARKY (Cork County, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any steps have been taken by the Board to make a literary knowledge of Irish essential for students who enter the training colleges, and a spoken and literary knowledge essential for students at their final examinations in the colleges.
MR. BRYCEThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that they have made provision in the programme for next year for the examination of candidates in both written and spoken Irish, as an optional subject, at the entrance and final examinations, as well as at the examination for first year students.