§ 8. Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will say at what date favourable consideration was first promised to the claim of Irish national teachers to be paid their salaries monthly; whether the alleged cost of making this change has been found to be greatly exaggerated; and whether he is now in a position to say when the change will be made?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOn 2nd March, 1910, I stated that the question whether arrangements could be made for a change from quarterly to monthly payments was under consideration, and I have since then expressed the hope which I still entertain that the Treasury might be willing at some date to place upon the Estimates a sum sufficient to enable it to be made. Proposals have been made to me with a view to avoiding the great cost, which has not been exaggerated, of effecting this change, but even if these proposals were to meet with the general approval of the teachers themselves, the present time would be inopportune for their adoption in view of the important increase in administrative expenses which must inevitably be occasioned.