§ MR. JOHN O'CONNORI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state in how many cases of dismissals, depressions, fines, and reprimands of national school teachers has Senior Inspector Murphy, of the National Education Board, lately of Armagh and at present of Limerick and Clare, been directly identified in the said districts and elsewhere; is the number of such unusual; and, if so, will an inquiry be instituted into the conduct, methods, and procedure of the said inspector.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that they could not give the information asked for without a detailed investigation of the work of the senior inspector in question since his appointment several years ago, but in any event the Commissioners consider that it would be against the interests of the public service and detrimental to the efficiency of their inspection staff to furnish any such information.
§ MR. JOHN O'CONNORCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the number is unusual, and if it is would that not be a good ground for ordering an investigation?
§ MR. BIRRELLI have no control over the Commissioners of National Education, but I can quite understand that such a body would be reluctant to expose any particular inspector in this way unless there was reason to believe he did not discharge his duties properly.