CAPTAIN CRAIGTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if the Board of National Education is aware of the inconveniences and often hardships 1064 inflicted on Irish national teachers by the present practice of the Board in returning all salary claims, when passed for payment, to the managers of the schools, instead of sending them direct to the teachers; whether, in view of the fact that the manager has countersigned the claim in the first instance, and must therefore know its nature, what reason does the Board advance for returning the claim to him; and whether, if the Board cannot see its way to reverse its practice in all cases, would it be prepared to forward the claims direct in individual cases if requested to do so by the managers concerned.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar Question asked by the hon. Member for West Clare on the 26th February, 1907.