§ MR. JOHN O'CONNOR (Kildare, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the difficulties between the Treasury and the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland in respect to school buildings have been removed; if so, how long is it since they have been so removed; have building grants been sanctioned; if so, 174 to what amount, and how much has been advanced; in how many cases have managers been furnished with special plans that were to be prepared by the Board of Works; have any steps been taken to meet cases of urgency; if so, what were they: when were they taken; has there been delay in the cases of Edenderry (King's County) and Newbridge (Kildare County); if so, what is the cause of such delay; and, if matters connected with prospective school buildings are not in a satisfactory condition, would he consider the advisability of appointing a special architect for the purpose of disposing of such building arrears as may now exist.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BIRRELL,) Bristol, N.An agreement in this matter was arrived at on 30th April last, when it was arranged that the floor space allowance should be ten square feet per pupil and that the number of pupils to be provided for should be the mean between the average number on the rolls and the average attendance. One matter however, is still the subject of correspondence, namely, the provision of special rooms for practical instruction in science and cookery in certain classes of schools. The Commissioners have provisionally approved of the erection of new school-houses in 158 cases, 114 of which may be proceeded with if the managers submit special plans. So far, none of these 114 cases have reached the stage at which grants can be determined. The remaining forty-four cases must await the completion of the new standard official plans. In thirty-one cases sketch plans have been issued to managers wich the object of enabling them to have special plans prepared by their own architects. In two cases only have such special plans been received and these are at present under consideration. Precedence is being given to cases of urgency, and it is with the view of expediting these cases that the managers have been allowed to submit special plans. In neither of the cases specially referred to has there been avoidable delay. In the case of Edenderry, the manager's plans are under consideration, and in the case of Newbridge the manager has been invited to submit special plans which have not yet been received. The Government have no ground for assuming that matters 175 are progressing otherwise than satisfactorily or that there is any reason for appointing a special architect.
§ MR. JOHN O'CONNORCan anything be done before the inclement season sets in?
§ MR. BIRRELLI hope so.