Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if resolutions had been received from bodies of national teachers by the Irish Government and the Commissioners of National Education asking that in inquiries held witnesses should be examined on oath, the legal practitioners retained should be at liberty to examine and cross-examine witnesses, and the parties should be at liberty to employ counsel; that when a manager makes a charge against a teacher, and fails to attend the inquiry and prosecute the charge, he should be dismissed; and what action it is proposed to take on these resolutions?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe resolutions referred to have not been received. Inspectors under the Board of National Education are not empowered to examine witnesses on oath, and although teachers may have the benefit of legal advice during the course of an inquiry the person so employed is not permitted to take any part in the inquiry beyond advising his client or suggesting questions to the inspector to be put at his discretion to the witness. The action, if any, which the Commissioners would take in the event of a manager adopting the course set forth in the latter part of the question would be governed by the circumstances of the case.