I beg to.ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say whether the residence connected with Edenderry national school, Portadown, county Armagh, was built for the benefit of the teacher; if the money advanced by the Board of Works was solely for a teacher's residence, and does the teacher derive any benefit directly or indirectly from it; how much interest and ground rent is paid per annum; and how much rent does the present tenant pay, and to whom does the profit rent go
The house in question was built as a teacher's residence partly from funds obtained from local sources and partly by means of a loan of £250 obtained from the Board of Works on the recommendation of the Commissioners of National Education. The house is not now occupied by the teacher, but, as I have already stated, the teacher is at liberty to use it, if he should desire to do so. The Commissioners have ascertained from the local trustees, in whom ownership is vested, that the house is at present let at £35 per annum. Of this sum £5 5s. is paid in ground rent, £12 10s. in repayment of the Board of Works' loan, and £12 in repayment of a loan of £300 obtained from other sources. The balance of £5 5s. is expended on the upkeep of premises, and any sum which may remain is paid over to the teacher. I am inquiring into the general question of the conditions upon which the Board of Works make loans in such cases.