§ Mr. J. O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is able to state the decrease in the amount payable to the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland under the provisions of the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act, 1890, for the financial years 1915–16 and 1916–17; whether such deficiency has been supplied from any other source; if so, will he state the same; whether he has taken note of the claim set forth in the Report of 498W the Board for the year 1916 for a balance of £86,000 per year due to Ireland for secondary education, having regard to the Grants made to England, Scotland, and Wales for that purpose; whether he proposes to satisfy the claim and, if so, how; and whether it is intended at an early date to give effect to the desired reforms in the basic principles and administration of the intermediate system as indicated in the Reports of the Board for 1912– 16?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Grant payable to the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland under the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act, 1890, varied from year to year. Between the years 1900 and 1909 it decreased from £71,400 to £46,566. To prevent any further decrease in the funds of the Board, a fixed annual Grant of £46,563 was provided by the Revenue Act, 1911, in lieu of the sum formerly payable under the Act of 1890, and under the Intermediate Education Act, 1914, the funds of the Board were increased by the Teachers' Salaries Grant of £40,000 a year. I have seen the Report of the Intermediate Education Board to which the hon. Member refers; but, as the means by which funds are provided for intermediate education in different parts of the United Kingdom are not the same, any financial comparison is misleading. In Ireland there is an endowment fund from the Irish Church Surplus, and Grants for technical schools and science classes are also made through the Vote for the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction. In the rest of the United Kingdom there are considerable contributions from the rates. Conclusions arrived at by disregarding these facts arc, in my opinion, of little real value. Some of the recommendations of the Intermediate Board will be carried out under the Rules for the application of the new Parliamentary Grant of £50,000. Legislation with regard to the system of Irish intermediate education is not practicable at present.