CAPTAIN CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Treasury and the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland have under their consideration a scheme whereby no part of the new school grant will be given to teachers of schools with an average below thirty-five; is he aware that the small schools were received into the system under rules which encouraged the establishment of such schools; can he state if the proposal referred to is devised for the purpose of starving out such schools, and whether under it certain teachers will be heavily penalised for no fault of their own; is he aware that small schools under Protestant management in isolated parts of Ireland will suffer particular hardship; and will he take steps to prevent this happening.
§ MR. J. DEVLIN (Belfast, W.)At the same time may I ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is intended that schools with an average attendance of less than thirty-five pupils are not to participate in the grant for the increase of teachers' salaries which he has promised on behalf of the Government; whether he is aware that this rule would exclude one-third of the National schools in Ireland, the teachers in which are underpaid; and whether he can make any statement which will reassure the teachers in these schools in regard to the allocation of the grant.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOE IRELAND (Mr. BIREELL,) Bristol, N.The Supplementary Estimate, which has been before the House for some time past, shows that it is proposed to confine the new grant to the teachers of schools which have an average attendance of not less than thirty-five pupils. The Supplementary Estimate is to be considered this afternoon, and hon. Members will then have an opportunity of discussing the principles upon which the new grant is to be distributed. This Answer applies also to the Question of the hon. Member for West Belfast.
§ MR. J. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)asked the effect of the increase of £20,000 on the allocation to schools with an average attendance of between twenty and thirty.
§ MR. BIRRELLI think I had better wait till I state our proposals more fully.
§ MR. J. MURPHYIs it meant for the excluded teachers and will it be an equal compensation to them for the sum which is to go to the remaining teachers?
§ MR. BIRRELLI would sooner not answer that Question now.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)Is there any reason to believe that the small schools will suffer?
§ MR. BIRRELLAll schools will be treated alike, whether Catholic or Protestant.
§ MR. MOORE (Armagh, N.)But the hardship will fall on the Protestant schools, which constitute three-quarters of the total number.