Vol. S2 No. 3
asked the Minister for Education:
In cases where County Councils in the Gaedhealtacht areas have struck a rate of a penny in the £1 for Irish Language purposes, to meet the requirements of adults, will the Minister of Education recommend that a grant of an equal amount be made by the Department of Education for Irish Language purposes?
Obviously this is an excellent proposal, with which I am in complete sympathy, but there is nothing on the Estimates to meet it at present, and if the House recognised it was a good principle I could prepare an estimate of the definite sum required for the next meeting of the Dáil. I could not, obviously, ask the Dáil to command me to give an indefinite sum. It would be required to know what rates have been struck and what the proceeds mean. Meanwhile there is another suggestion I would like to make. Where classes for adults are being conducted they can get a certain grant from the Department of Agriculture. I do not know if that has been tried in Co. Waterford. It has been in County Cork and the amount is very indefinite. For Co. Waterford a rate of 1d. in the £ would mean £1,100 but clearly in Co. Cork it would be much bigger. The amount would vary considerably. If it is confined to the Gaedhealtacht areas, which I would define as four counties of Munster—Cork, Kerry, Waterford and Clare—two in Connaught —Galway and Mayo—and one in Ulster —Donegal—I could find the means required and submit it to the House, or perhaps the House could authorise the Ministry if the principle is adopted; that is the best thing that can be done under the circumstance.
