§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland why the system of paying national school teachers in Ireland announced by the Commissioners when the change to monthly payments was made is not being pursued by them; why the salaries are not being paid promptly at the close of the month for which they are due, since dates and signatures are being applied by a rubber stamp; and, in view of the annual congress, necessitating personal expenditure, which the teachers hold in Easter week, whether he will arrange that on this occasion at least payment orders for the salaries earned in March shall be issued not later than 5th April?
§ Mr. DUKESalaries are paid to teachers at as early a date as possible, having regard to the time required to examine and cheek the claims and school returns giving particulars of the service rendered by the teachers. As more than 8,000 school returns, and the claims of about 18,000 individual teachers, drawn on nearly 1,000 different money-order offices, have to be carefully examined, checked, revised where necessary, and tabulated before the money orders can be sent out, it is obvious that a work of such magnitude could not be carried out in the course of a few days. The clerical work connected with the payments due to be made to the teachers next month is particularly heavy, as, in addition to the ordinary salary and war bonus Grants, two other Grants which are payable annually have then to be dealt with, and the money orders are due to be remitted to the school managers on 16th April. It would not be possible to have them sent out at any earlier date.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, having regard to the 970W amount of public expenditure alleged to have been necessitated by paying national school teachers in Ireland monthly as compared with paying them quarterly, how the increase is made up, seeing that signatures and dates are applied to the documents by a rubber stamp?
§ Mr. DUKEThe payment of teachers on a monthly system in substitution for the quarterly system of payment previously in operation has necessarily involved a large increase in the amount of clerical work to be carried out in the office of the Commissioners of National Education. Returns of the service of teachers and claims for payment have now to be obtained, checked, and tabulated for payment through post offices twelve times a year, instead of four times as formerly. As the returns from more than 8,000 schools and the claims-for payment for about 18,000 individual teachers have to be dealt with each month, it is obvious that such a change could not be carried out without a substantial increase in administrative charges.