HC Deb 28 May 1906 vol 158 cc79-81
MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can now explain his promised scheme for promoting the teaching of Irish in Irish schools.

MR. BRYCE

The scheme for promoting the teaching of Irish is in outline as follows:—A grant will be made for the teaching of Irish under what is called the "Bilingual Programme for Schools in Irish Speaking Districts," and this grant will be awarded either as a capitation allowance or as a fixed grant to each school taking the bilingual programme, this detail, however, has not yet been absolutely determined. Secondly, for schools not taking up the bilingual programme, whether in bilingual or English speaking districts, a capitation fee of 1s. for scholars in Standards II. and III. and of 2s. 6d. in the higher standards, will be payable for each scholar in average attendance who learns Irish according to the scheme known as the "Programme in Irish as an ordinary school subject." Conditions will be laid down to secure that the teaching is competent and effective, and regulations for the purpose are to be framed by the Commissioners. It is also proposed to make grants towards the maintenance of the summer courses of training in the Gaelic language which have been established at certain centres in Ireland. The grant of £5 is contemplated to be paid in respect of every teacher who has completed a course of training at one of these centres, and has thereafter been reported as having taught Gaelic satisfactorily for one year in a recognised public school. These proposals are in addition to the se for which provision is made in this year's Estimates. The proposals which affect the current financial year are briefly as follows:—Prizes of £5 are to be given to a number, not exceeding thirty, of the best King's scholars who obtain certificates in Irish at the final examination for King's scholars. It is also proposed that the sum of £10 may be awarded to every teacher who has obtained such a prize, provided he is reported as showing high merit as a teacher of Irish for two consecutive years in a national school. The first prizes under this scheme will be awarded to contain King's scholars who will be leaving the training college at the end of the session now current. It is also proposed that there shall be a prize scheme for encouraging the study of Irish in the evening schools which shall not place on the Exchequer a greater annual burden than £500. This sum it is contemplated to expend in small book prizes, spread over a large number of evening schools. Both the scheme for the current year and the proposals which are intended to begin to take effect from July 1st next are to hold good for a period of three years, when the scheme for encouraging the study of the Irish language will come up for reconsideration in the light of the experience gained on its working. The sum which had previously been allotted to the Irish language teaching and which ceased July 1st was by a decision of the late Government transferred to the payment of assistant mistresses, so that the sums I have mentioned as now proposed to be spent will be an addition to the sum spent on primary education in Ireland. The Irish Government have given much thought to these proposals, which they believe will have the effect of securing much better results than were yielded by the system which it was decided almost a year ago to discontinue, the amount allotted to which was transferred to assistant mistresses.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

asked what would be the total amount spent annually in this way.

MR. BRYCE

said the total amount under the scheme next year might reach £5,700, and the grant for the present year was in addition to that.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

asked whether he was to understand that as far as monetary provision was concerned, the new scheme would provide only about half what was provided under the scheme of fees which had been withdrawn by the Treasury.

MR. BRYCE

said the amount would be more than half, but he believed the result of the arrangements would be to make the new scheme a great deal more efficient than the former scheme. A great deal of the money spent formerly was spent with no good results.

MR. LONSDALE

asked whether the teaching of the Gaelic language was not intended to promote sedition.

MR. BRYCE

said ho was suprised that anybody who knew anything about the matter should put such a question.