§ 59. Mr. JOHN WALSHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the principal teacher in the Irish national school, Roll No. 10,499, was informed by the Commissioners of National Education, Ireland, on the 31st August, 1910, that he had been promoted to second-of-first grade from 1st April, 1910, for efficient service; that this teacher had to wait until 24th December, 1911, before he received the salary attached to the higher grade which, according to Rule 105 (a), should have been paid on promotion; that the violation of this rule caused the teacher to lose £7 9s. 2d.; that the satisfactory service given from 1st April, 1910, to 28th October, 1910, is not counted in awarding his next triennial increment, thereby causing a further loss to this teacher during the six years ending 31st March, 1916, of £5 16s. 8d.; if this holding up of his service violates Rule 108 (b); whether the teacher was informed in December, 1911, that his first promotion notice was to be regarded as cancelled and to date from 28th October, 1910; if this cancelling of the first notice is contrary to Rule 104 (e); did this teacher qualify for promotion under Rule 104 (a); was this rule sanctioned by the Lord Lieutenant; and, if so, will he recommend that the vested rights of this teacher be respected?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)The Commissioners of National Education inform me that Mr. John J. Forsythe, principal teacher of this school, qualified for promotion to the second section of the first grade from 1st April, 1910, but as there was no vacancy available at the time he did not receive the salary of that grade until the 28th October, 1910. He was not told that he was to regard the first notice of promotion as cancelled. Rule 104 (a), which was approved by the Irish Government and the Treasury, lays down the conditions of promotion, but such promotion cannot take place unless there are vacancies.