§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary if his attention has been called to the violation of Rules 105 (a) and 108 (b) of the National Commissioners of Education, whereby teachers are deprived of increases of salary to which they are entitled on promotion to a higher grade; if he is aware that the National Commissioners are in favour of the abolition of the standard numbers test, which has been applied in these cases; and if he will represent to the Treasury the hardship of the present arrangement and urge them to provide the small sum per annum to enable this grievance to be removed?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMy attention has been frequently called to this matter. In the case of a considerable number of teachers promoted to the First Class it is impossible to give a corresponding increase of salary at once as the number of teachers receiving the higher rate of salary is limited. The Commissioners of National Education have more than once suggested such a re-adjustment as would permit of promoted teachers receiving the higher salaries at once, but this might ultimately entail a very considerable charge, and I am not prepared to press it upon the Treasury at present having regard to the concessions which I have recently obtained from them for the benefit of Irish Education.