HC Deb 17 September 1914 vol 66 cc985-7W
Mr. FIELD

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many horticultural and farm gardens have been started by and are at present worked directly under the control of the Commissioners of National. Education; where those plots are located and the number of scholars attending; and whether further financial assistance will be granted to enable an extension of this utilitarian teaching over the rural districts in Ireland?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that there are at present 104 school gardens recognised in connection with national schools under the scheme of rural science and horticulture laid down in the Commissioners' Code. The counties in which the school gardens are situated and the approximate number of children in fourth and higher standards under instruction in each county are given in the following table:—

County. Number of recognised Gardens. Approximate number of Pupils in 4th and higher standards under instruction.
Antrim 2 39
Armagh 4 60
Carlow 12 215
Clare 2 34
Cork 5 107
Donegal 2 20
Dublin 4 115
Fermanagh 1 14
Galway 4 80
Kerry 1 17
Kildare 13 212
Kilkenny 3 60
King's 6 120
Limerick 8 184
Longford 1 20
Louth 6 112
Meath 1 20
Queen's 13 185
Roscommon 2 47
Sligo 3 35
Tipperary 1 22
Waterford 1 37
Wicklow 8 142
Wexford 1 20
Total 104 1,917

This total does not include boys in standards lower than fourth receiving practical instruction. The number of such pupils may be estimated at about 300. Provision is made in the Vote for public-education (Ireland) for expenditure in connection with the instruction of boys in the fourth and higher standards in school gardening and towards the cost of implements and seeds for garden plots. The Treasury have intimated their willingness to consider a proposal for the extension of this scheme to girls attending national schools in connection with the estimate for the coming financial year.