asked the Minister for Education if he will reinstate the four women teachers and twelve male teachers who have for the past three years been debarred from service in national schools because of their political convictions and their association with opposition to the Treaty and its institutions.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - REINSTATEMENT OF NATIONAL TEACHERS.
The decision in this matter, already made public, stands. No national teachers have been refused recognition on account of their political convictions or of their association with opposition to the Treaty and its institutions, but because of their complicity with the armed revolt.
Is the Minister aware that in some, at least, of the school districts concerned the great majority of the parents of the pupils have expressed a desire for the reinstatement of those teachers?
Is the Minister aware that certain school teachers who were out in armed revolt have been reinstated, and is there a distinction drawn between one teacher and another? To my knowledge, some of these teachers have been reinstated.
In reply to Deputy O Máille, I am not aware of what he states, and, if I were aware, I do not think it would influence the position. In reply to Deputy Heffernan, I have already, on more than one occasion, made it quite clear that there were teachers who were found to be guilty of complicity in the armed revolt, or at least who were decided by the Committee to be so guilty, but a merciful view being taken of the teachers' cases as a whole, a certain number of these teachers were allowed back. That was done because, as I have already explained pretty fully, the Committee were convinced of their bona fides in the sense of their willingness to serve the State loyally in the future, and they thought there were circumstances which enabled them to come to the decision that complicity, though established, ought to be overlooked.
Would the Minister say whether the decision come to in these cases, arising from consideration given in some cases nearly two years ago, is irrevocable and cannot be affected by a new hearing in view of new facts and new attitudes of mind?
These cases were heard and re-heard a number of times. They were considered and reconsidered a number of times. It must be taken that the final decision of the Executive Council was, at last, final.
Would the Minister consider the appointment of an impartial tribunal or commission of some kind to review these cases? There is evident injustice, I believe, in regard to some of these cases.
An impartial tribunal has already inquired into these cases.
Impartial?
And justice has been done.