§ MR. J. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland can he state the number of teachers who entered the service of the National Board since 1st April, 1900, who are in charge of schools with averages under sixty, and are paid a higher salary than £70 per annum (exclusive of residual capitation grant or results for Irish or mathematics); and whether he can state the reasons assigned by the Commissioners for paying these teachers this higher rate of salary.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that there are twelve such teachers as are referred to in the Question. In three cases the salaries include bonuses of £9 each, which the teachers were granted under the Fourth Schedule to the Irish Education Act of 1892 while serving as assistant teachers. In one case the teacher was granted the special salary on account of a previous service of nearly twelve years in England. In three cases the teachers had served as substitute teachers prior to 1st April, 1900, and were allowed credit for this service when their salaries were fixed on permanent appointment. In the remaining cases the strict application of the rules regarding salaries in force in 1901–2 would, in the judgment of the Commissioners, have operated inequitably, and these and similar cases were, under the powers then possessed by the Board, specially considered.