§ MR. LONSDALEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether Marlborough Street College, Dublin, the original college for the training of national school teachers, is still open to and attended by teachers of all denominations on perfectly equal terms; whether he is aware that in 93 1890 the then Chief Secretary established what he called a principle which would secure an all-round equality of treatment as between Marlborough Street College and the three denominational training colleges, and that after these three colleges had been provided with free homes in accordance with this arrangement, they were described by the Commissioners of National Education as equipped in every respeect, domestic and educational, in a style that is unsurpassed in completeness in any of the colleges in England and Scotland; whether Talbot House is still retained as the main residence for the girls in training at Marlborough Street; whether during the last session there were 956 absences in less than seven months for 165 girls in training; whether he is aware that in 1898 the then Chief Secretary stated that the girls were not permitted to lift their windows at night lest the disgusting language of the streets should reach them; and whether the condition of things thus described is substantially unchanged.
I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that at the opening of the new residence for men in training at Marlborough Street Training College, Dublin, on 24th August, the Resident Commissioner said it was unfair that the lady students who had to live in Talbot Street should be treated so scurvily as compared with the men, and spoke of the clamourous need of a new residence for these young ladies, and that his Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, who was present in his official capacity to declare the new residence open, said that the next step, and a most important one, for which it was to be hoped that the way would be cleared as quickly as possible, was the provision of a new residential accommodation for the girl students; and whether in view of these statements and the urgent needs of the case, the Government will provide the funds in the next session of Parliament to erect a residence for the women students of Marlborough Street College on the site already provided for the purpose.
§ MR. BIRRELLMarlborough Street Training College is still open to and is 94 attended by students of all denominations. My attention has been called to a Memorandum of the Elementary Education Committee of the General Assembly, containing the statements set out in the first Question. These statements, so far as it has been possible to verify them, appear to be substantially correct. My attention has also been called to the speeches made on the occasion of the opening of the new buildings at Glasnevin. The Lord-Lieutenant, who fully appreciated the difficulties in the way of providing accommodation for female students, said nothing whieh could be construed into a statement that those difficulties could be removed or a pledge that the necessary funds would be provided by the Government. I can only repeat that, while regretting that the Commissioners of National Education have not been able to provide a residence for the female students out of the sum placed at their disposal, I am unable to hold out any hope that an additional grant will be made to them for the purpose.