§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has yet received a reply from the Irish Education Committee to his request that they should admit the Press to their sittings; and will he place upon the Table of the House the minutes of all the meetings of this Committee when this question came up for discussion and decision before them?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Committee adhere to the view at which they have arrived after long and careful consideration, that it is not desirable that the Press should be admitted to their inquiry. They have been able to obtain a great deal of evidence bearing on the teachers' claims and grievances which will very shortly be published, and I would ask the hon. Member not to criticise the action of the Committee until he has had an opportunity of examining its results. The Committee will make their report in due course, and I am not prepared to ask them to anticipate it by laying on the Table the minutes of their discussion on the particular point referred to in the question.