§ MR. J. MURPHYTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Commissioners of National Education are compulsorily enforcing the teaching of cookery in national schools, though over 5,000 of these schools are one-roomed buildings quite unfitted for the purpose; whether increments have been withheld from teachers for not including cookery in the curriculum, though neither apartments or equipments have been provided whether pressure is being brought to bear on teachers to provide the equipment at their own expense, and managers notified to recoup such expenses out of the first fees earned by teachers; whether inspectors have been instructed not to give good reports unless cookery is taught and whether the Department of Technical Instruction provides equipment in all cases where they hold cookery classes.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that in Rule 120 of their Code it is provided that cookery and laundry work should be taught as part of the ordinary school programme to girls enrolled in the fifth and higher standards when suitable provision for instruction is available. Instruction in cookery need not necessarily take place in the schoolroom, but the fact that there is only one room in a school is not sufficient of itself to justify the ommission of this subject (which is regarded as of the first importance for Irish children) from the school curriculum. Increments have not been withheld in any case where the Commissioners were satisfied that good and sufficient reason existed for omitting cookery from the school programme. The Commissioners do not expect teachers to provide the equipment at their own expense. The managers are paid a grant of 5s. per head for each girl taught cookery in accordance with the official regulations, and from the grant the manager can meet the necessary incidental expenditure. The balance of the grant 731 goes to the teacher. The allegation that inspectors have been instructed not to give good reports unless cookery is taught is incorrect. I am informed by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction that, in all courses of instruction conducted by county teachers of domestic economy, equipment is provided under the scheme, but there are a number of schools working under the Department in which equipment has been provided by the schools.