§ 12. Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether qualified assistant teachers in convent schools will get the same salaries, increments, etc., as are given to those teaching in ordinary national schools?
§ Mr, DUKEConvent national schools are of two classes: (1) those in which teachers are paid on the same conditions as teachers in ordinary national schools; (2) those in which payments are made on the capitation system. Qualified assistant teachers in the first of these classes receive the same rates of salary, and are eligible for the same increments, etc., as are given to assistant teachers in ordinary national schools. In the second class of schools, where qualified lay assistant teachers are employed, their salaries are arranged by the conductors of the schools and are paid out of the capitation Grants, subject to a fixed minimum in each case. In the new scales of salary provision is made for an increased rate of capitation Grant to such convent schools, and the minimum salary required to be paid by the conductors to each recognised lay assistant has been raised to £64 per annum, exclusive of war bonus, from 1st April, 1917.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLWill the right hon. Gentleman make it a condition of the Grant that the capitation sum given to convents shall carry with it for teachers all the privileges accorded to other teachers in the way of salaries and promotion?
§ Mr. DUKEThe position of teachers in a convent school would need a good deal of consideration before I could give an answer across the floor of the House to a question about it.
§ 10. Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he has considered the advisability of reconsidering the treatment of convent school teachers and assistant mistresses, so far as the refusal of the Treasury to pay them the recent war bonus of 4s. per week is concerned; and why these deserving teachers have been so treated?
§ Mr. DUKEI cannot add anything to the answer I gave to the hon. Member's question on this subject last Thursday.