§ MR. BARRIE (Londonderry, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the sum of £114,000 passed on 28th July last for bonuses and capitation grants to Irish teachers for the year ending 31st March last was still unpaid to them at a recent date, and will he say what has caused this delay; and whether he will arrange that in future these grants will be paid more promptly.
§ MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid.)May I also ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the grant of £114,000, voted for the augmentation of the salaries of national school teachers for the year ended 31st March 1908, has been paid by the Treasury.
§ MR. MACCAW (Down, W.)And may I too ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any, and, if so, what, portion of the revised Supplementary Estimate of £114,000 for bonuses and capitation grants for Irish teachers, passed under closure on the 28th July last, has yet been paid to the teachers, and if such payment has been made, for what period.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BIRRELL.,) Bristol, N.The grant in question has been made available by the Treasury, and the Commissioners of National Education are making arrangements for its distribution among the teachers, which, it is anticipated, will take place about the 23rd instant. Some delay has necessarily taken place in making arrangements for the distribution of the first issue of this grant, but it is proposed in future years to pay the grant in April, immediately after the conclusion of the financial year.