§ Mr. NANNETTIasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that inspectors of national schools, no matter how unjustly treated by the resident Commissioner and his immediate subordinates in the office, are prohibited from communicaing directly with any of the other nineteen Commissioners about their treatment; that as a result several inspectors, though subjected to persecution and injustice, are unable to 1678W obtain any redress, as the higher officials referred to will not bring any complaints about themselves before the Board; and whether, as the Irish Government has the power of appointing and dismissing the members of this Board, and accordingly has full authority over it, he will, in the interests of education, take the necessary steps to have a reformed and efficient Board constituted in its stead?
§ Mr. BIRRELL:I am satisfied that there is no foundation whatever for the suggestion that inspectors of national schools are unjustly treated by the resident Commissioner and his immediate subordinates, or that inspectors are subjected to persecution and injustice and are unable to obtain redress. Inspectors have full liberty to represent their grievances to the Board in the ordinary way; but they are very properly, in my opinion, prohibited from canvassing the Commissioners individually. No facts have been brought to my notice which call for interference on my part; and I think it is to be regretted that these imputations, entirely unsupported by facts, should be cast upon the resident Commissioner and his staff.