§ Mr. HUGH LAWasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland by what rule in the Code the Commissioners of National Education refuse promotion to second grade in the case of a teacher untrained and classed III. in 1900, but teaching before 1900; by what rule do the Commissioners require the same, standard of efficiency in the case, of such teacher as is required in the case of trained teachers for special promotion to first grade; and, if such rules are in existence, whether they have been published at any time since 1900 for the information of the teachers?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed by the Commissioners of National Education that training is a condition of promotion of teachers from a lower to a higher grade, and from the second to the first section of the highest grade, under Rule 104 (a) of the Commissioners' Code, and that untrained teachers are, as a rule, ineligible for promotion unless specially exempted from this condition. The untrained 597W teachers referred to in the question are not exempt from this condition, but in exceptional cases—e.g., where the teacher was above the age for admission to training at the time of the change of system in 1900, or where a long succession of very favourable reports has been received on the school from the inspectors—the Commissioners are prepared to waive the condition set forth in the rule. The conditions under which promotion is granted in exceptional cases to either trained or untrained teachers are not specified in the Code.