HC Deb 02 March 1911 vol 22 cc532-4
Mr. W. A. REDMOND

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention had been drawn to the state of the national schools, Coalisland, county Tyrone; whether the Commissioners of National Education have repeatedly called on the manager, the Rev. P. Quinn, P.P., to get the schools rebuilt, and that the application for the necessary funds was sent in over two years ago; whether the manager secured a site, employed an architect, and had special plans drawn up, which were approved of by the Board of Works' engineer; and whether, in view of the urgency of this case, where a school is required providing accommodation for 300 children, he will take immediate steps to see that the necessary funds are provided?

Mr. BIRRELL

The facts with regard to these schools are correctly stated in the question. The case is one of several which have recently been the subject of correspondence with the Treasury, but I am not in a position to say when money will be available to deal with this particular case.

Mr. W. A. REDMOND

Does the right hon. Gentleman recollect that last year on several occasions he gave practically the same answer to numerous questions from these benches, especially to the hon. Members for West Belfast and Kilkenny City, and will he state whether he proposes to let this matter, so far as he is concerned, stay in its present state of stagnation? If not, will he use his utmost influence with the Treasury to see that some steps are taken in this matter?

Mr. BIRRELL

I can assure the hon. Member it is not a case of stagnation. As I have already explained, the National Board of Education have to arrange how they will deal with the money placed at their disposal by the Treasury for the erection of new buildings. It is a difficult question.

Mr. W. A. REDMOND

Did not the right hon. Gentleman say in his previous answers that the Treasury were prepared in all urgent cases to exempt these urgent cases from the suspension of the Treasury Grant, and is not this case distinctly an urgent one?

Mr. BIRRELL

It is really a difficult matter. There is no doubt about the facts, It is in the power of the National Board to deal with urgent cases out of their turn, so to speak, and to make a distinction between these cases, but the difficulty is to decide which are the most urgent.

Mr. W. A. REDMOND

Who is to decide? Is it the National Board or the Treasury, or the right hon. Gentleman himself?