§ Sir J. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary the number of principal national school teachers in Ireland who had their salaries reduced during 1915 owing to a temporary decline in the average of their schools, the number of assistant teachers who lost their positions for a similar cause, and the amount saved in consequence?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that the salaries of sixty-six principal teachers were reduced in the first instance from 1st January, 1915, owing to a falling-off in the attendance of pupils at their schools for the preceding calendar year, but of these eighteen subsequently had their original salaries restored from various dates in 1915 owing to the recovery of the required average for the calendar year ended 31st December, 1915. During the year 1915 salary was withdrawn from thirty-one assistant teachers and from twenty-two junior assistant mistresses owing to a decline in the attendance of pupils at their schools, but of these three assistants had their salaries restored at later dates in that year owing to recovery of the required average attendance at their schools. The net annual saving of expenditure caused by the reduction of the salaries of principal teachers and withdrawal of salary from assistant teachers and junior assistant mistresses in the year ended 31st December, 1915, was about £3,000.
§ Sir J. LONSDALEalso asked the Chief Secretary the number of principal national school teachers in Ireland who have been notified that their salaries will 2101W be reduced as from the 1st January, 1916, and the number of assistants who are about to lose their positions, owing to a slight decline in the average attendance of pupils, and whether, in view of the fact that recent Treasury concessions do not cover all cases of hardship arising from a temporary decline of school attendance, he will recommend that the new rules relating to averages should be so amended as to provide that no school shall suffer reduction of Grants during the War?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that the number of principal teachers who have been notified of reduction of their salaries from 1st January, 1916, consequent upon a falling-off in the average attendance of pupils at their schools for the year ended 31st December, 1915, is seventy-five. It is not possible to form an estimate of the number of assistant teachers who may lose their positions during the current year owing to a decline in the attendance of pupils at their schools, as withdrawal or continuance of Grants in the case of assistants will be dependent upon the quarterly averages for the current year, and none of these averages are yet known. The suggestion in the last part of the hon. Member's question is not practicable, as a decline of attendance during the War is frequently attributable to causes other than the War.