§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether by the rules of the Commissioners of Education in Ireland the minimum time for secular instruction is four hours; and whether, as a matter of fact in all primary schools at least five hours instruction is given.
MR. BRYCEThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that under their rules secular instruction must be given to senior pupils for at least four hours daily. This is inclusive of half an hour for recreation—so that under the rules the actual secular instruction ought to last for three and one half hours. In the case of infant schools am classes, the secular instruction need only be for three hours, including an interval of half an hour for recreation. In a considerable number of national schools the instruction, religious and secular, Lists for five hours, but it is by no means so in all national schools. I am afraid it does not follow that, because the rules provide for a certain minimum of hours of instruction, these hours are always given.