§ 5. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that there is dissatisfaction amongst secondary school teachers in Ireland owing to the unsatisfactory conditions of the proposed rules under which the Special Grant, equivalent to the Fisher Grant in England, is to be disbursed; and whether he would be willing to appoint a Commission or Committee of Inquiry on this matter?
§ 7. Mr. LINDSAYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, according to the Official Report, Volume 45, No. 159, of Parliamentary Debates on the Government of Ireland Bill, 9th December, 1912, it was expressly stated by Ministers of the Government that Irish model school teachers were Civil servants under a standard by themselves, and that in case of disturbance in their occupations as such their compensation was to be assessed under Schedule III., Part I., of the Government of Ireland Bill, i.e., as established Civil servants; and whether he will now take steps to have this body of teachers accorded in the matter of war bonuses full rights as Civil servants, so that they may receive in this respect the same treatment as other Civil servants on the establishment?
§ Mr. DUKEModel school teachers are in the direct employment of the Commissioners of National Education, but, otherwise, serve generally on the same 455 conditions as teachers of ordinary national schools. They do not hold Civil Service certificates, and are not entitled to pensions as provided for Civil servants under the Superannuation Acts, but contribute out of their salaries towards a pension payable out of the Teachers' Pension Fund. The war bonus is paid to the teachers of model schools at the same rates and on the same conditions as to teachers of ordinary national schools.
§ 10. Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it has been definitely decided to set up separate Committees to deal with questions affecting primary and intermediate teachers in Ireland; if he will say what the constitution of the Committees will be; and whether, seeing that it has been decided to set up these Committees, the Government intended to suspend the White Paper provisions and distribute the money now available by way of a bonus to all teachers in the service?
§ Mr. DUKEI believe the general sense of those most interested in the subject to be in favour of separate Committee, and with the help of my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General for Ireland I am proceeding to deal with the matter on that footing. The constitution of the Committees will be announced as soon as possible. The answer to the last inquiry in the question is in the negative. What is proposed would merely introduce confusion and delay. Any Commission or Committee which may have to deal with the future position of the schools and the teachers will, of course, be in no way bound by the distribution of this year's additional Grant, or by the arrangements connected therewith which are contained in the Paper to which the hon. Member refers.
§ Mr. BYRNEWill the teachers themselves have representation on these Committees—will the right hon. Gentleman see that they will?
§ Mr. DUKEThe hon. Member may be quite sure that is a subject which is not lost sight of. The task is a very difficult task of deciding between a great many things. I do not want to pledge myself in any way at the moment as to the constitution of the Committees, but, with the help of my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General and other advisers, I shall try to take care that the Committees are competent to deal with a most difficult matter in the most effective way.
§ 12. Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will take steps to secure the introduction into Ireland of the system whereby talented boys and girls may win the right to free places in the secondary schools?
§ 15. Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is prepared to advise an increase of the Exchequer Grants for Irish secondary education, that the salaries of secondary teachers should be made a first charge on the funds of Irish secondary education, and that lay secondary teachers be declared entitled to the same security of tenure as primary teachers?
§ Mr. DUKEThe points raised in these questions are such as will necessarily be dealt with by the proposed Committee on the subject.
§ Mr. LYNCHMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to inspire himself with the example of his colleague who represents British education and prepare a large scheme, and also take note of the conditions of life of teachers, which become more and more difficult in Ireland?
§ Mr. DUKEThose are considerations which cannot be ignored. They are on the surface of the question.