§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will request the Commissioners of National 211 Education to reconsider their decision to close Culnafay National School, near Toomebridge, country Antrim; whether he is aware that the parents in the district have signed a protest, and have begged that the school may be kept open for another year, during which time they will do their utmost to raise the average attendance to the necessary level required by the Commissioners; whether this is a mixed school consisting mainly of very young children; and whether he is aware that if the school is closed many of these little children will have to walk from three to four miles a day to and from the nearest school?
The VICE-PRESIDENT of the DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE (IRELAND) (Mr. T. W. Russell)The Commissioners of National Education inform me that they recently decided to withdraw their grants from this school from 31st December next. It is a mixed school in which there are ten children under seven years of age and twenty older. There are four other schools in the neighbourhood which the children can attend without having to walk any unreasonable distance. The matter is not one on which my right hon. Friend can intervene.