§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether, in the case of Mrs. Margaret Kerin, assistant teacher in the Knockeenahone school, county Kerry, the manager, the Right Reverend Monsignor O'Leary, has refused to sign the agreement form with her; whether he is bound by the Rules of the Commissioners of National Education to sign it; whether he has also refused to sign her salary claim, although the Commissioners definitely ordered the reappointment of this teacher; and state what steps will be taken in reference to both these matters?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education have not yet received the communication from the manager of this school referred to in my reply to the hon. Member's question on 20th January last. They are reminding him of that fact.
§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that it has been brought to the notice of the Commissioners of National Education that the Right Reverend Monsignor O'Leary, P.P., Castleisland, has written, as manager of the Knockeenahone national schools, to the principal teacher of the girls' school, informing her that he cannot give his consent to the appointment of an assistant teacher until the averages in the male and female schools are equalised to the same extent; whether the Commissioners have already sanctioned the appointment of an assistant teacher since 1st October last; whether the manager made it a condition of his adopting Mrs. Kerin as assistant teacher that the principal teacher, Mrs. Cronin, should send some six or seven 433W boys to Mr. Tanquey's school; whether he furthermore forbade her to receive any more boys into the girls' school; are these commands of the manager in direct contravention of the Rules of the Commissioners of National Education; and, if so, what action will be taken in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt has been represented to the Commissioners of National Education by the principal teacher of these schools, that a communication has been received by her from the manager in the terms mentioned in the question. The Commisioners have already sanctioned the appointment of an assistant teacher since the 1st October last, but they understand from Mrs. Cronin that the communication received by her from the manager implied the condition referred to and forbade her to enrol any more boys in the girls' school. The Commissioners have not yet considered the communication received from Mrs. Cronin, and they are therefore unable to say what action will be taken by them in the matter.
§ Sir WALTER NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary whether the teacher of the school. Roll No. 7443, was informed by the Commissioners of National Education that he had been promoted to second division of first grade on 1st April, 1909, for efficient service; that this teacher had to wait until 5th September, 1910, before he received the salary attached to the higher grade, which according to Rule 105 (a) should have been paid on promotion; that the violation of this rule caused the teacher a loss of £18 11s.; that the satisfactory service given from 1st April, 1909, to 5th September, 1910, is not counted in awarding his next triennial increment, thereby casuing a further loss to this teacher during the six years ending 31st March, 1915, of £14 6s.; whether this holding up of service violates Rule 108 (b); and whether, if this teacher is qualified for promotion under rules sanctioned by the Lord Lieutenant, he will recommend that his vested rights be respected?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that Mr. John O'Farrell, who was principal teacher of Ballymore Boys' National School, county Westmeath (Roll No. 7443), until 13th June, 1912, qualified for promotion to the second division of the first grade from 1st April, 1909, but as there was no vacancy available at the time he did not receive the salary of that grade until 5th434W September, 1910. Rule 104 (a) of the Commissioners' Rules, which was approved by the Irish Government and the Treasury, lays down the conditions of promotion, but such promotion cannot take place unless there are vacancies.
§ Sir J. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that Mr. R. Judge, principal teacher of the Poyntzpass mixed national school, promoted by the Commissioners of National Education to a higher grade for efficient service from 1st April, 1910, had to wait two years before he received the salary attached to the higher grade which, according to Rule 105 (a), should have been paid on promotion; whether he is aware that by the violation of this rule this teacher was deprived of £16 5s. of salary, and that the service given by this teacher from 1st April, 1910, to 30th June, 1911, is not allowed to count as service rendered for his next triennial increment, whereby he has suffered a further loss during the six years ending 31st March, 1916, of £12 10s.; if he is aware that this is a violation of Rule 108 (b); that the cancellation of his first promotion notice was contrary to Rule 104 (c); and that this teacher qualified for promotion under Rule 104 (a); and will he say if in this rule there is any mention made that promotion to the higher grade is conditional upon the existence of vacancies; if this rule was sanctioned by the Treasury in 1901; and if he will recommend that the rights of this teacher be respected?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that Mr. Robert Judge, principal teacher of Poyntzpass mixed national school, county Armagh, qualified for promotion to the second section of the first grade from 1st April, 1910, but he did not receive payment of salary at the rate attached to that grade, nor did his service begin to count towards his next triennial increment until a vacancy occurred on the 1st July, 1911. Rule 104 (a), which was approved by the Irish Government and the Treasury, lays down the conditions of promotion, but such promotion cannot take place unless there are vacancies.