§ Mr. NANNETTIasked if the Commissioners of National Education have in former years asked the Irish Government and the Treasury for sanction for the payment of fees for the teaching of Irish to the children in the junior standards in the national schools, and if such sanction has always been refused; and, if so, what were the reasons for the refusal?
§ Mr. BIRRELLProposals of the nature indicated have been made by the Commissioners of National Education, and have been laid before the Treasury, but they have been unable to agree to them.
§ Mr. NANNETTIasked what was the amount provided in their estimates by the Commissioners of National Education for the payment of fees for the teaching of Irish in national schools in the school years 1908–9, 1909–10, 1910–11, and 1911–12, respectively; and what was the amount actually paid in fees for the teaching of Irish in each of those years?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that the amount provided in the estimate for Public Education (Ireland) for the payment of fees for the teaching of Irish in national schools (both in bilingual schools and as an extra subject) in the school years 1908–9, 1909–10, 1910–11, and 1911–12, and the amounts actually paid in fees for the teaching of Irish in each of these years were as follows:—
The payments for 1911–12 are not yet complete; the amount here given is the expenditure recorded up-to-date.
School years. Estimate, Expenditure, 1908–9 … £19,300 £14,899 1909–10 … £17,000 £13,206 1910–11 … £15,500 £12,113 1911–12 … £14,000 £10,644