Education Act 1695
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An Act to restrain Foreign Education. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 7 Will. 3. c. 4 (I) |
| Territorial extent | Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 7 September 1695 |
| Commencement | 1695 |
| Repealed | 1782, 1878 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Education Act 1695 (7 Will. 3. c. 4 (I)), "An Act to restrain Foreign Education", was one of a series of Penal Laws enacted by the Parliament of Ireland to secure the Protestant Ascendancy in the wake of the Williamite War. It prohibited the Catholics from sending their children abroad to receive a Catholic education.
Section 1 ruled:
In case any of his Majesty's subjects of Ireland shall go or send any child or other person beyond the seas to be trained in any popish university, college or school, or in any private popish family, or shall send any money for the support of any such person, then the person sending and the person sent shall, upon conviction, be disabled to prosecute any action in a court of law, or be a guardian or executor, or receive any legacy or gift, or bear any public office, and shall forfeit all their lands and estates during their lives.
At the same time, it sought to prohibit Catholics from delivering formal education in Ireland.
Section 9 read:
Whereas it has been found by experience that tolerating at Papists keeping school or instructing youth in literature is one great reason of many of the natives continuing ignorant of the principles of the true religion… no person of the Popish religion shall publicly teach school or instruct youth… upon pain of 20 pounds and prison for three months for every such offence...
It further required that "every schoolmaster … conform to the Church of Ireland as it is now by law established", and that this conformity be certified by license from an Anglican bishop.