§ Mr. JOHN O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will state what sums of money have been spent by the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland on their science scheme; how many organisers were employed, and at what cost; what number of teachers received instructions, and at what cost; how many of those teachers are now teaching science in their schools; and how it is proposed to utilise the knowledge imparted at public cost to those teachers who are not actually so employed?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education initiated their present scheme of object-lessons and elementary science instruction in 1900. They inform me that a return of the total amount spent in connection with the scheme since the beginning would take a long time to prepare, and that its value would not be commensurate with the labour and cost involved. An organising inspector and two assistants have been employed in developing the scheme. The organising inspector is paid a salary of £500, rising by annual increments of £20 to £700 per annum. One assistant is paid a salary of £300 per annum, and the other assistant is paid a salary of £150 per annum. The inspector and assistants also receive the usual travelling and personal expenses. According to the reports of the organising inspector for 1905-6 and 1907-8, the number of teachers qualified to teach elementary science was 4,419. According to the last report of the Commissioners the number of schools in which pupils were under instruction in object-lessons and elementary science was 8,472. The total number of schools in operation is 8,538.