§ Mr. GORDONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, whether his attention has been directed to a report of Dr. Beatty, senior inspector of national schools, calling attention to the number of small and unnecessary schools in the locality of which Cookstown, county Tyrone, is the centre; whether the Commissioners of National Education intend to take any, and, if so, what, action in reference to this matter; and whether the Commissioners intend to reconsider an application previously refused by them for the recognition of a new school at Orriter, within the area dealt with in Dr. Beatty's report?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that in his general report for 1907–8 Dr. Beatty, formerly senior inspector of National Schools, called attention to the excessive number of small schools in Cookstown and its vicinity. The Commissioners are endeavouring to reduce the number of small or unnecessary national schools wherever possible. An application for aid to a school at Orriter has been under the consideration of the Commissioners, but they have declined to take it into connection with the national system. The allocation of national schools in the locality will be reviewed by the Commissioners at an early date.