§ CAPTAIN CRAIG (Down, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether His Majesty's Government will take immediate steps to alter the position created under the rules of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland by which teachers of the Roman Catholic faith may be appointed to teach Roman Catholic children in a minority in a school the majority of children attending which are Protestants, whilst Protestant teachers are not permitted to be appointed to teach Protestant children in a minority in a school the majority of children attending which are Roman Catholics.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The hon. Member is mistaken in supposing that the rule referred to will have the effect mentioned in the Question. I have already explained that the object of the rule was to remove obstacles to the combined education of Protestants of different denominations, and I have stated on the authority of the Commissioners that the rule is not to be applied in schools under Protestant management in which there is a minority of Roman Catholic pupils.