§ MR. J. DEVLIN (Belfast, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the number of male and female national school teachers with thirty years service or more who resigned on pension during the past five years, specifying the number in first, second, and third class, and what was the amount of pension payable to the teachers in each class.
(Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) The return asked for would take a considerable time to prepare, as the service of all the teachers (about 700) who have been pensioned during the last five years would have to be examined, a course which would entail much labour. Perhaps it would serve the hon. Member's 1474 purpose if the total number of teachers retiring in each class, with the total amount of pension in each class, were given, without entering into the question of service, as almost all teachers retiring on pension have given upwards of thirty years service. I shall be glad to give him this information if he will address a Question to me on the subject after the recess.