CAPTAIN CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether there is any legal or departmental order prohibiting the flying of the Union Jack over national schools in Ireland where a general desire among the parents and children to do so is expressed, and where the manager raises no objection.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BIRRELL,) Bristol, N.I am informed that in 1888 a case was brought to the notice of the Commissioners of National Education, in which the Union Jack was exhibited in a national school, and the then Commissioners decided that they could not sanction the exhibition of flags of any description in national schools. I am not aware of any more recent decision of the Commissioners, but I understand that the question was to be considered by the Commissioners at their meeting to-day.
CAPTAIN CRAIGWill the Chief Secretary say whether, in view of the generally expressed desire in the North of Ireland, he will ask the Commissioners of Education in Ireland if they will not reverse their decision and allow the national flag to be flown on national schools where the managers, parents, and children are all agreed?
§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)What is the national flag of Ireland?
§ MR. BIRRELLI have no evidence before me of such desirable unanimity of opinion as would make such a thing desirable.
CAPTAIN CRAIGWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the Question on the Paper as to whether there is any legal objection?
§ MR. BIRRELLThere is a rule of the Commissioners that no emblems or symbols of a political nature—[Loud OPPOSITION cries of "Oh!"] The hon. Member asked me whether the Commissioners had any rules on the subject. The only rule I can find bearing on the subject is of the character I was endeavouring to read to the House. Of course, if hon. Gentlemen do not wish to hear it, I am perfectly satisfied to hold my tongue. It is provided in the rules that no emblems or symbols of a political nature may be exhibited in the school or affixed to the exterior of the building, and in the case of a school which was before the Commissioners in 1888, it was decided not to exhibit a flag on the school.
CAPTAIN CRAIGMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman considers the Union Jack of England a political flag?
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Union Jack of England represents a political transaction, and in that sense it has a political meaning, of which none of us, I hope, have any reason to be ashamed.
§ MR. R. DUNCAN (Lanarkshire, Govan)Has the right hon. Gentleman any precedent for calling it the Union Jack of England?
§ MR. BIRRELLI offer a thousand apologies,
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the Union Jack is constantly used on placards and cards and otherwise in a party sense by Unionists?
§ MR. J. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)And the King had to stop it at the last general Election.
§ [No Answer was returned.]