§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELL (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state the number of schools in Ireland where the bilingual programme is adopted and the fees paid to the teachers of those schools, the fees paid or proposed to be paid to teachers who, though not adopting the bilingual programme, teach Irish as an ordinary school subject within ordinary school hours, and the fees paid or proposed to be paid to teachers who teach Irish as an extra subject outside ordinary school hours.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that the bilingual programme has been sanctioned in 120 national schools. A fee of 4s. may be paid for each unit of the average attendance of pupils receiving bilingual instruction in schools classified at the annual inspection as "fair"; a. fee of 6s. in schools classified as "good"; and a fee of 8s. in schools classified as "very good" or "excellent." On the restoration of fees for Irish as an extra subject, special payment for it as an ordinary subject ceased. Fees may now be paid for Irish taught as an extra subject to pupils of the third and higher standards, according to the following scale: In the third standard, 3s. per unit of the average attendance at the Irish lessons; in the fourth standard, 6s. per unit of the average attendance; in the fifth standard, 9s. per unit of the average attendance; and in the sixth and higher standards, 12s. per unit of the average attendance.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLWhat fee will be paid if Irish is taught as an ordinary subject, and not as an extra?
§ * MR. BIRRELLAs I have just stated, fees are- not now paid for Irish as an ordinary subject.
§ MR. MOORE (Armagh, N.)May I ask if under this system more is paid for teaching Irish than for teaching modern language in three-parts of the country where Irish is absolutely useless?
§ MR. BIRRELLThe hon. Gentleman may infer what he likes.