§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the teaching of the Irish language has been taken up in the national schools of Granard, Purth, and Abbeylara, North Longford, by the North Longford Coisde Ceanntair of the Gaelic League, which body, out of its own slender resources, has been employing an Irish teacher to train the children for the past year; whether the Irish inspector, whose duty it is to examine the children, for results fees, in Irish, came unexpectedly to do so, and as a result of his report only one school qualified for fees, whereby the financial results, on which the committee relied, were very much lessened, and the Gaelic League committee placed in difficulty to continue 2666W the employment of a teacher; and whether, under these circumstances and with a view to helping the committee, which consists of the clergy and teachers of the district, to do so, he will request the Education Board to direct the inspector to give notice of another examination within the ensuing three months with a view to giving the schools a further chance of securing the help in fees which they require to maintain their Irish teacher?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that Irish is taught in the schools referred to, but they have no information as to whether a teacher has been employed by the body mentioned to teach the children. An organiser of Irish language instruction-visited the schools recently, and his reports have not yet been furnished to the Commissioners. They have therefore no information at present as to the financial effect these reports may have.