asked the Minister for Education if any steps have yet been taken to reform the system of Secondary Education in the Saorstát, and whether in pursuance of promises already given, he is now in a position to say what arrangements have been made by way of increased interim grant for the current year, salary scale, and pension scheme to redress the financial grievances of the secondary teachers.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM IN SAORSTAT.
In the case of education, as of other public services, the Budget position is such as to necessitate a reduction of State charges below the level prevailing heretofore. Increased financial provision for any branch of the service is consequently only possible by means of economies in other branches. The position of secondary education generally, including that of the teachers, is under consideration, but the Minister is not in a position at the moment to say more than that it has been decided to include provision for an interim grant of £100,000 in the Estimates of 1924-25 for Intermediate Education, which will shortly be presented to the Dáil.
The basis of distribution of this grant still remains to be determined.
May I ask, as a supplementary question, does the President remember that in his capacity as Minister for Finance in the last Dáil, in reply to me, he promised to give special consideration to this question, and led us to believe that a special grant would be made at an early date to the secondary teachers? Does he remember, or can the Minister for Finance recall, that some time ago I put a question as to what arrangements had been made to carry out this pledge, and the reply of the Minister was that he was not yet in a position to state. Are we to understand that this interim grant of £100,000 for Intermediate Education is for the whole service, or is the additional grant for secondary teachers only?
The additional grant is for secondary teachers only.
I would like to know if this additional grant has taken the place of the pension scheme?
I would like to say, first, that there was no question ever of a pension scheme. There could be no question, therefore, of this taking the place of the pension scheme. A decision has not yet been come to on the matter of the salary scheme. The interim grant remains an interim grant until a decision can be taken.