§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what is the numbers who, for the triennial period ending 31st March last, are to be disallowed promotion to second-of-first grade and first-of-first respectively through the adverse Report of a new inspector on his first visit to a school, though the two preceding Reports were up to the required standard of proficiency; and if the National Board take into account the representations made, on different occasions during the past two years, by the central executive 788 committee of the National Teachers Organisation, and protesting against teachers being so deprived of promotion by investigating all cases of this sort in which the managers requested a re-inspection and were refused.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the promotions of teachers who may be eligible by service are at present being made. It would be impossible, at the present stage of the work, to furnish the information asked for in the Question, but if the Commissioners should be supplied with particulars of any case involved in the terms of this Question the matter will be fully considered. No teacher is refused promotion without a careful investigation of all the circumstances of the case.