§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)I beg to ask Mr.Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the admitted claims of primary education in Ireland, he can see his way to using portion of the present surplus at his disposal for meeting these claims during the present year; whether portion of that surplus is, as a matter of fact, due to Ireland; and whether he will consider the advisability 76 of using such portion for meeting Irish claims of a pressing nature rather than in conserving it in connection with proposals that in all probability will not affect Ireland in the future.
§ MR. ASQUITHI cannot reopen the question of the provision to be made for Irish primary education for the current year, which was carefully considered when the Estimate now before the House was framed, while I have already dealt with the disposal of the estimated surplus in my Budget proposals. I believe that Ireland will in the future benefit at least proportionally with the other parts of the United Kingdom, as a result of the manner in which I propose to deal with the surplus.