HC Deb 16 September 1909 vol 10 cc2302-3
Mr. T. M. HEALY

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland in how many schools in the circuit of the senior inspector of National schools, Belfast, has the standard of efficiency been reduced during the past three years; and how much money has been thereby returned to the Treasury?

The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)

The Commissioners of National Education consider that it would not be in the public interest, or tend to the efficiency of their inspection organisation, to give the information asked for in the first part of the question. As regards the latter portion of the question, they cannot admit that the teachers have been deprived of any money to which they were entitled under the Commissioners' rules and regulations.

Mr. T. M. HEALY

Will the right hon. Gentleman make a comparison between the action of the inspector of this district and the action of inspectors in other districts?

Mr. BIRRELL

I know enough about the inspection of schools to know how dangerous and undesirable it is to interfere with any inspector who does his duty. I cannot enter into any comparison between the activity of one inspector and another.