§ 38. Mr. P. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary whether he is yet in a position to state the amount of bonus to be given to the school teachers in Irish workhouses and to national teacher pensioners and the number of each class, respectively?
§ Mr. DUKEThe remuneration of workhouse teachers is defrayed from the rates, not from the Parliamentary Votes, and the payment to them of a war bonus as suggested is a matter for consideration by the local authorities. As regards pensioned teachers, I may point out that the scales of pension were considerably improved in October, 1914. The scales then laid down were fixed with reference to the solvency of the Teachers' Pensions Fund, and it is doubtful whether this fund would bear any further increase.
§ Mr. J. REDMONDThese pensions were not fixed surely in October, 1914, with reference to the enormous increases in the prices of commodities; and, in view of that fact, does the right hon. Gentleman not think that something ought to be done for those ex-teachers who are really in exactly the same position as teachers, or, in fact in a worse position, who have had a war bonus given to them'?
§ Mr. DUKEA distinction has been drawn between the increase of pay to persons serving the Crown either directly or indirectly and additions to pensions which would be in the nature of relief, and I do not think I can take it upon myself, on behalf of the Irish Office, to promise any departure from the observance of that distinction.
§ Mr. DEVLINCan the right hon. Gentleman say how many of those ex-teachers are in Irish workhouses?
§ Mr. DEVLINI can assure the right hon. Gentleman I have had dozens of communications from ex-teachers front Irish workhouses within the last month