asked the Minister for Education if he will state (a) the number of staffed members of religious Orders teaching in each of the convent and monastery primary schools in Cork City; (b) the number of lay staffed teachers in each of those schools; (c) the number of religious supernumerary teachers employed in each of such schools; (d) the number of lay supernumerary teachers employed in each of such schools; also the average attendance of all pupils in each of those schools for the year ended 31st December, 1937; further, if he will state the qualifications of such supernumerary teachers, religious and lay, in each of those schools under the heading, trained or untrained, also the rate of remuneration of supernumerary teachers and conditions necessary for their appointment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Religious Teaching Orders.
As it would take too long in an oral reply to give under the particular headings the information sought by the Deputy under sections (a), (b), (c) and portion of (d) of his question, I am sending him a schedule giving this information in tabulated form. As regards the remaining portion of section (d) my Department does not interfere with the discretion of the conductors of convent and monastery schools as regards the employment of lay assistants other than those forming portion of the recognised staff as required by Section (1) of Rule 87 of the Regulations for National Schools, but such additional lay assistants must be qualified under Rule 73 and their salaries paid wholly by the conductors. In the case of an additional lay assistant teacher appointed subsequent to the 31st August, 1932, in a capitation convent or monastery national school, or subsequent to the 3rd December, 1935, in a classification convent or monastery national school, the conductors are required to pay such lay assistant a salary not less than the minimum of the scale to which the teacher would be entitled as an assistant in an ordinary national school.
asked the Minister for Education if he will state what regulations at present govern the qualifications necessary for the appointment of members of religious Orders on the staffs of primary schools; further, if he will state what difference, if any, exists between the course of training for members of religious Orders who are to teach in primary schools and that for lay teachers.
Members of religious Orders who have successfully completed an approved course of training are eligible for recognition as teachers in national schools. Further, members of religious Communities, who qualify at the Training College Entrance Examination in accordance with the appropriate provisions of the programme, are eligible for recognition as untrained assistant teachers on the staff, in a temporary capacity, for a period of not more than five years from the 30th September of the year in which they pass the Training College Entrance Examination, and for the further period of a course of training in a recognised training college, if such course of training is entered upon before the expiration of the five-year period. There is no difference between the course of training for members of Communities and that for lay teachers.