HC Deb 27 February 1908 vol 185 cc27-8
MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that there are at least three grades of inspectors of national schools; whether the senior inspectors have any jurisdiction over the district inspectors, and, if so, what is the exact date on which it was first conferred, and the precise terms of the regulation referring to the matter; and whether the district inspectors have any jurisdiction over the junior inspectors, and, if so, what is the exact date on which it was first conferred, and the precise terms of the regulation referring to the matter.

(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that their inspection staff consists of two chief inspectors, twenty-two senior inspectors, thirty-five district inspectors, seventeen junior inspectors, together with three inspectors of special branches. The chief inspectors have the general direction of the work of the other inspectors. Each senior inspector is responsible for the work of the inspection circuit in his charge, and is bound to report neglect of duty, &c., on the part of district or junior inspectors working in his circuit. He can also call on his colleagues in the circuit to assist him in the inspection of certain schools in his particular charge, and in cases of urgency he may instruct one of the other inspectors of the circuit to perform work in a different section of the circuit from his own. The senior inspector is generally responsible for the sufficiency of the work performed by his colleagues in the circuit. There are two sections in each circuit, and the section inspector may be either a district inspector or a junior inspector. A section inspector is primarily and especially responsible for the work of his own section. Should a junior inspector be employed temporarily in assisting a section inspector, he must arrange his duties with the section inspector's concurrence, but there is no general jurisdiction exercised by the district inspectors over junior inspectors. The present arrangement of duties of senior, district, and junior inspectors was made in January 1907.