§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary (1) why, if England gets from the Exchequer nearly a million per annum for secondary education, and Scotland a quarter of a million, Ireland, which has few educational endowments, gets not one penny from the same source; and when does he propose to take steps to secure to Ireland equal treatment in this matter; and (2) whether his attention has been called to representative meetings held recently in Dublin, Cork, and other important centres in Ireland, calling on the Government to contribute towards secondary education in Ireland in proportion to the amounts yearly voted for England and Scotland; whether he is aware that, while large sums are voted annually from the Treasury for secondary education in England, Scotland, and Wales, not one penny is voted for this purpose in Ireland; and what action does he propose to take in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMy attention has been called to the meetings referred to. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury has pointed out in reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for Mid Armagh on the 13th February, any comparison between England, Scotland, and Ireland in connection with the question of Secondary Education is apt to be misleading, owing to the differences of I the systems adopted in each case. The whole question of provision for Intermediate Education in Ireland will, no doubt, have to be considered before long, but I am not at present in a position to make any statement on the subject.
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§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the desire on the part of the public in Ireland to provide facilities for the clever children attending the primary schools to obtain scholarships which would carry them onto the university, and seeing that secondary schools in England to qualify for the higher grant from the Education Board must provide at least 25 per cent. free places for children attending primary schools he will take steps to provide some such facilities for children attending Irish primary schools?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe question of providing facilities for secondary education for pupils of primary schools in Ireland is one deserving most careful consideration, but I am not at present in a position to make any statement in the matter.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether, according to the report of Messrs. Dale and Stephens, the average salary paid to assistants in Irish secondary schools is £84 per annum for men and £48 for women; whether he will state the average salary paid to secondary teachers in England, Scotland, and Wales; and whether he intends taking any steps to secure that salaries in keeping with the importance of the work they discharge be paid to those teachers?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member's reference to Messrs. Dale and Stephens' Report is approximately correct, but as the salaries of secondary teachers in Ireland are not defrayed from public funds I have no power to deal with them. I am not in a position to say what the average salary of secondary teachers in England, Scotland, and Wales may be.