Captain COOPERasked the Chief Secretary whether the fees paid by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for attendance at technical instruction classes in the evening are three times as great as those paid for attendance in the daytime; whether domestic economy can be taught equally well in the daytime; and whether he will consider the advisability of equalising the fees paid for this subject?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe normal Grant paid for attendance at evening technical classes is double that paid for attendance during the day, but it may in certain circumstances exceed this proportion. Domestic economy can be taught in the day time quite as well as in the evening. The intention of the regulations for technical schools is primarily to provide for the technical education of students who in the daytime are engaged in industrial occupations, and the factors which determined the rate of Grant payable in respect of day classes were the status of students who would be in a position to attend day classes and the lesser cost of providing instruction in day than in evening technical schools. The Department are not prepared to recommend the amendment of the regulations in the manner suggested in the question.
1604W
§ Mr. HACKETTasked the Chief Secretary whether the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland have compelled the Tipperary North Riding Council committee of technical instruction to dispense with the services of one of their manual instructors on the ground of economy; whether the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction propose to compensate the instructor whose services will be dispensed with for loss of employment; whether he can state the number of hours per week the present secretary was engaged instructing his classes during the academic year 1909–10; whether the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction can show any precedent for their action; and whether, in view of the fact that this arrangement will impair the utility of the classes, he will advise the Department to allow the committee of technical instruction to continue the present arrangements for the academic year 1910–11?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed that the Department have not compelled the Tipperary North Riding County Committee to dispense with the services of a manual instructor. The Committee, whose income does not justify the employment of two manual instructors, have resolved to dispense with the services of one. The instructors are appointed for each session only, so that the question of compensation does not arise. Some delay took place in the appointment of a new secretary to the Committee, and it was found impossible to arrange classes to be conducted by him, within the time prescribed by the Department's regulations.