asked the Minister for Education whether the 2,500 existing national teachers over 45 and without any certificate in Irish were pronounced in 1924 incapable of profiting by the instruction given at the summer courses, and permitted to attend them in 1924 and 1925, only at their own expense; whether any of those teachers are now obliged to give instruction in the Irish language or rated as inefficient if unable to do so; whether any special instructions have been issued to prevent hardship being inflicted on those older teachers because of their inability to teach Irish successfully; whether any steps have been or will be taken towards providing extern teachers of Irish for those schools in which none of the staff is registered as qualified to teach the language.
ORAL ANSWERS. - TEACHING OF IRISH IN SCHOOLS.
National teachers over 45 years of age and without any certificate in Irish were not pronounced in 1924 incapable of profiting by the instruction given at the summer courses. In fact, a number of such teachers who, when the Irish courses were established, had little or no knowledge of Irish, have since, as a result of attendance at these courses and private study, obtained, some of them ordinary certificates in Irish and others both ordinary and higher certificates in Irish.
In 1924 and 1925, however, it was optional for teachers of 45 and over to attend the courses, and in 1926 for teachers of 46 or over to attend the courses. The amount of money available for these courses was limited, and it was not found possible, in the circumstances, to grant to such teachers the usual allowances in aid of expenses, as it was realised that they would, as a body, not be so well able to benefit from the courses as their younger colleagues.
With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, these teachers are required to give instruction in the Irish language in so far as their competency in the language enables them to do so. The fact that they have not reached a sufficient standard of competency does not affect their rating. The policy of the Department in this respect is based on that outlined in the programme of instruction for National Schools issued in 1922. Furthermore, the Order of the Provisional Government of the 1st February, 1922, requiring the teaching of Irish for one hour per day referred to National Schools where there was a teacher competent to teach it. It has, therefore, not been considered necessary to issue any special instruction regarding teachers of an advanced age who do not possess qualifications in Irish.
With regard to the concluding part of the Deputy's question, no steps have been taken towards providing extern teachers of Irish. The employment in the past of extern teachers to give instruction in special subjects in National Schools did not produce such results as would tend to encourage their employment to give instruction in ordinary subjects of the school curriculum.