§ 31 and 32. Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) whether, in view 1640 of the fact that the alleged legal obstacle of dispensing with a general written examination in science has been successfully surmounted for fifteen years by the Intermediate Education Board, and has only lately been discovered by that Board to be unsurmountable, he will ask the Board to try whether a way of getting over it or around it may again be found, and thereby save the schools from the upset caused by the Board's action; whether he will bear in mind that this action is condemned on educational grounds by the Government authority chiefly concerned with science education in Ireland; and (2) whether his attention has been called to the terms of the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Act, 1900, whereby power is given to the Intermediate Board to make rules for the purpose of carrying out the recommendations contained in the general summary of the Report of the Intermediate Education Commission of 1899; and whether in view of the specific recommendations of that Commission making a capitation Grant payable on the school roll and not on individual pupils, and that a method of distribution should be followed in which the dominant factor should be not the answering of each individual pupil, but the general efficiency of the school, he will state on what grounds the Board contends that it is now legally bound to institute a system of written examinations in science after a lapse of fifteen years?
§ Mr. DUKEWith regard to the Report mentioned in the second of the hon. Member's questions, the recommendation made was that "a public general examination of students should be retained as a basis of calculation of the school Grant, but that this examination should not be competitive." The Board regard this as entirely consistent with the course they propose. I have been in communication with the Board as to the mode they will pursue in introducing what they regard as an improved system of examination inclusive of answers to written questions, and I think it will be found that the Board will proceed in a manner which will involve the least possible disturbance of proper arrangements now existing?
§ Mr. BOLANDIn consequence of the Chief Secretary's reply not being completely satisfactory, I shall raise the matter on the Appropriation Bill this afternoon.