§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the exact number of students in each division of the modern literary course in the recent intermediate examinations who were eligible for exhibitions; and whether, in view of the fact that, in addition to English, two other languages are required in this course, he will state why preference is given in the awarding of exhibitions to those who take German instead of the national language?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Cherry)This question has been referred to the Commissioners of Intermediate Education, to whom it will be submitted at their next meeting on 10th December next. I shall see that the information asked for is communicated to my hon. Friend at the earliest possible date.
§ Mr. BOLANDIn view of the fact that this question was practically answered on Tuesday as regards the percentage, I merely want the actual figures. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will get the information for me without the names?
§ Mr. CHERRYI think it would be better that the whole question should be answered together because the first part may depend on the second part.
§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the opinion of the Intermediate Board, in October, 1908, to the effect that the new rule governing the awarding of exhibitions would not work unfairly against Irish, could not be tested until the results of the recent examinations were announced in September; and whether, in view of the fact that the rules for 1910 were laid before Parliament in May last, some months before this matter could be authoritatively decided, he will advise the Intermediate Board to suspend this rule, which has in fact been detrimental to those students who presented Irish in preference to German?
§ Mr. CHERRYMy right hon. Friend cannot call on the Commissioners of Intermediate Education to suspend their Rule for 1910, which has been approved by the Lord Lieutenant and has lam on the Table of the House for the statutory period without any objection being taken to it. As I pointed out in my reply to a question asked by the hon. Member on the 2nd instant the question can be raised again when the Rules for 1911 are under consideration.
§ Mr. BOLANDIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware of the fact that we did not raise any objection in May last to the new Rules, because we had an undertaking from the Chief Secretary in the previous October that our contention was wrong? As a matter of fact, if we had any idea that the Rule was to be brought in, of course we would have objected to it.