National Education Board (Ireland). (Hansard, 16 March 1911)

§ Mr. O'DOWD

asked the Chief Secretary, (1) whether, on the 1st January, 1907, an inspector of schools wrote to the Resident Commissioner of National Education asking for an interview with regard to certain official matters, and was refused; and, if so, will he state on what grounds the interview was refused; (2) whether he is aware that, on the 21st December, 1906, an inspector of schools wrote to the senior secretary of the National Board asking for an interview with regard to certain official matters, and was refused; if so, will he state what were the grounds of refusal; whether the refusal was on the senior secretary's initiative or by the direction of the Resident Commissioner; and, if the latter, whether the authority of the Board had been obtained; and (3) is he aware that in May, 1908, and a few times subsequently, an inspector of national schools, 2571W who had previously been refused an interview by the Resident Commissioner and the secretaries, wrote to the National Education Office asking to have an appeal or communication of his with regard to what he considered unjust stoppage of his annual increments, etc., brought specially before the Board itself, and that these requests were refused, and not even an acknowledgment of their receipt sent in the case of many of them; and whether, if the Resident Commissioner and his immediate subordinates can thus arrogate all the functions of the Board, there is any way, and, if so, what, by which an inspector may obtain redress, especially as inspectors are forbidden from communicating personally or directly with individual Commissioners about such matters?