§ Mr. HUGH BARRIEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether a joint deputation of the representatives of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in Ireland waited on him in August, 1911, in reference to the condition of Talbot House, the principal residence of the women students of Marlborough Street Training College, Dublin; whether they submitted to him a report, dated 7th August, 1911, of the medical officer of that college to the Commissioners of National Education, stating that a number of cases of diphtheria and other diseases had arisen owing to the condition of the building, and that it was to be deplored that so many strong and healthy young women should be housed in premises where their health is endangered and their energy be lost; 1452W whether Sir Charles Cameron agreed with the medical officer in condemning Talbot House as an unsuitable residence; and, if so, as this is the only college for Presbyterian and Methodist teachers, will he say why no steps have been taken to provide a new residence and to remedy the present state of things?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am quite aware of the unsatisfactory nature of the accommodation provided for female students at the Marlborough Street Training College, which was referred to by the deputation, as my attention has been frequently called to the matter, and I have also visited the students' residence myself. The difficulty, however, is that a Grant of £50,000 was made to the Commissioners of National Education from the Irish Development Grant for the erection of residences for the men and women students, but they spent the whole of the money on a residence for the men only. In these circumstances, I have been unable to obtain a further Grant to them for the purpose.
§ Mr. HUGH BARRIEalso asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that a new Grant of £3,000 a year was made in 1911 to the three Roman Catholic Training Colleges in Belfast, Limerick, and Water-ford, and that, as a result of a public investigation held in 1910 into the claim of the manager of the Waterford Training College for the model school as a practising school under his own management, the efficiency of the college was criticised by the chiefs of inspection in their report to the Board; whether he will ask the Commissioners to publish this report of a public investigation; and whether, as the Government had secured this Grant of £3,000 a year, and had included a Grant of £10,000 a year in the Irish Estimates of last year for scholarships in secondary schools which the Treasury had refused to make a short time before, they will exercise their authority over the Treasury in order to provide a new residence to replace Talbot House?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am aware that an annuity of £1,000 to cover cost of housing was granted in 1911 to each of the Training Colleges at Waterford, Belfast, and Limerick. The Commissioners of National Education inform me that in the report of the Chief Inspectors regarding the public inquiry held by them relative to the application of the manager of the Training College at Waterford for the use 1453W of the Waterford model school, or portion I thereof as a practising school, reference was made to some defects in the arrangements in the college for the practical work in teaching of the King's scholars, but the Chief Inspectors did not criticise the efficiency of the college in general. The work of this college has been favourably reported on by the Chief Inspectors for several years past. It is not the intention of the Commissioners to publish the report of the Chief Inspectors, nor do I propose to ask them to do so. With regard to the last paragraph, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the similar question asked by him today.
§ Mr. HUGH BARRIEnext asked whether, as the Roman Catholic hierarchy are opposed to Marlborough Street College, and when the Grant for the men's residence was made in 1904, incorrectly described this undenominational institution, where students of all denominations are trained on equal terms, as for one or two small Nonconformist bodies, and condemned the making of the Grant, the Government will exclude this college from the control of the Parliament which the Government of Ireland Bill proposes to establish?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am not aware that tiny such announcement has been made. The answer to the remainder of the question is in the negative.