22. Lieut.-Colonel ALLENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any understanding has been arrived at between the national teachers of Ireland and the education authorities on the question of increased salaries; if so, whether the proposed increase refers to primary or ordinary schools, or to secondary or intermediate schools; and will he state the conditions of service and when this increase becomes effective?
§ Mr. HENRYAs the answer is a very lengthy one, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, publish it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Lieut.-Colonel ALLENWith regard to that part of the question which asks whether the proposed increase refers to primary or ordinary schools, or to secondary or intermediate schools, if the answer with regard to the secondary schools is in the negative, will the right hon. Gentleman say if it is the intention of the Government to deal in the immediate future with the teachers of the secondary schools, who are in a much worse case than the teachers of primary schools?
§ The following is the answer promised:
§ I am glad to say that, after a series of conferences between the Treasury, the Commissioners of National Education, and the representatives of the Irish teachers, a complete understanding on the question of teachers' salaries has been arrived at. The settlement covers teachers in primary schools only, and takes effect from the 1st April, 1920. The scales of salary and the terms of "Carry Over" are based upon the recommendations of the second Burnham Report on English Teachers' Salaries-salaries with 2394 such modifications as were necessary to suit Irish conditions, principally on the lines laid down in the Report of the Vice-regal Committee, under the chairmanship of Lord Killanin, which reported in 1919. The most important item in the provisional agreement is the fixing of a permanent and inclusive scale of salary of £170, rising by annual increments of £12 to £370 for trained men teachers, and of £155, rising by annual increments of £10, for trained women teachers, in either case with opportunity of advancement within the normal scale by the grant of special increments at intervals of not less than three years, and of rising above the maximum of the normal scale by five supernormal increments of varying amount, both these additional benefits being conditional upon reports of highly-efficient service by the teacher. There are a large number of other conditions in the settlement which is on comprehensive lines, and embraces almost the whole of the points dealt with in paragraphs 41 to 48, 55 and 58 of the Killanin Report. I shall be happy to send the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the formal agreement in which they are contained. I am sure that the House will agree with me that this settlement by mutual agreement and, as I understand, with goodwill and harmony on both sides, of a long-outstanding and highly-contentious question is a matter of great satisfaction.