HC Deb 24 October 1912 vol 42 cc2366-7
39. Mr. PATRICK WHITE

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the county Meath Coisde Ceanntair, through their secretary, communicated with the Board of National Education in Ireland, with the view of ascertaining certain facts regarding the particular number of schools in which Irish was being taught in one form or another; whether the information asked for was refused; whether further letters on the same subject reached the Commissioners to which no satisfactory reply was given; whether he will state upon what grounds the Commissioners refused the courtesy of a reply upon a purely educational question to a recognised educational body; whether he will state if any or the whole of the correspondence came before the Commissioners sitting as a body or any of their number entitled to act on their behalf by delegated authority; if so, will he state their names or whether the correspondence was dealt with by a permanent official with or without consultation with any one of the Commissioners; if so, what was the rank of the official who took upon himself the responsibility of ignoring the request of the Meath Coisde Ceanntair; and whether he will state generally what qualifications, if any, are possessed by the Commissioners for the position they hold?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that on 15th July last they received a letter asking for information about instruction in Irish in National schools in county Meath. The information was not at the time available, as all the reports on the schools had not been received from the inspectors, and the writer was so informed. Further letters were received on the subject, which were duly acknowledged, and when the information became available it was supplied on the 22n.d instant. There does not appear to be any ground for the suggestions of want of courtesy or undue delay contained in the latter part of the question.

Mr. P. WHITE

The information was not supplied until this question was put on the Paper.

Mr. BIRRELL

The information was supplied as soon as it was available.