§ Mr. MOOREasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that owing to a decline in the average daily attendance of pupils at Ballynafern national school, county Down, under Protestant management, it was amalgamated by order of the Commissioners of National Education with Annaclone national school (Roll No. 13603, Circuit 8b) on 30th June last, and the principal teacher of the former school transferred to the latter as privileged assistant; whether he is aware that application has been made by the former manager of Ballynafern national school for a Grant to a school at Ballynanny, and from which salary was (formerly withdrawn by the Commissioners; if he is aware that this school at Ballynanny is only one statute mile distant from Annaclone national school, which is healthily and centrally situated, and at which there is sufficient accommodation for all Protestant pupils in the locality; and if the Commissioners, having regard to Rule 179b, and in view of the disorganisation caused to other national schools in the district, intend to grant aid to the Ballynanny school, the majority of pupils, if not all, at which were prior to 1st July last on the rolls of the neighbouring national schools?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that the facts are as stated in the first two paragraphs of the question. The school at Ballynanny, for which aid was sought is, the Commissioners understand, more than a mile distant from Annaclone school. The Commissioners have not granted aid to the school at Ballynanny, but they have suggested that a committee, consisting of equal numbers of Episcopalians and Presbyterians, be formed with a view of arranging for the establishment and maintenance of one central school in the locality.