§ MR. BARRIE (Londonderry, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland how many National schools, with an average attendance of twenty and upwards, have either been struck off the rolls during this year or have been notified that they will be struck off at the end of it; how many of these are under Roman Catholic management; and how many have Protestant managers.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that forty-seven such schools, twenty-eight under Roman Catholic and nineteen under Protestant management, have been struck off, and that six, three under Roman Catholic and three under Protestant management, have been notified that they will be struck off or suspended from 31st December, 1908. In the great majority of cases the schools struck off are amalgamated with other schools.