asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that the operation of the School Meals (Gaeltacht) Act, 1930, in Beara is at present confined to schools situated within the District Electoral Divisions of Adrigole and Kilcaskan; and, if in view of the necessitous condition of children attending schools outside these divisions he will take steps to have the School Meals Scheme put into operation, by amendment of the Principal Act if necessary, throughout the whole of the schools of the Beara Peninsula, wherever there is evidence of the children attending such schools being underfed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Meals (Gaeltacht) Act.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am not satisfied as to the necessity or desirability of introducing legislation as suggested in the second part of the Deputy's question.
Existing legislation empowers the provision of meals in two District Electoral Divisions in this county but in only one of these have steps been taken to provide such meals, i.e., the Adrigole Division in which meals are provided in five schools.
In the Kilcaskan Division the school manager has, it is understood, objected to the provision of meals in these schools and it is stated that in the principal school the teacher did not consider that the children were in need of such meals.
The County Medical Officer of Health in a report to the Department, dated 10th October, 1932, stated that "in my opinion, and with the information available, I do not consider that there is a definite necessity for the extension of the provision of the School Meals (Gaeltacht) Act, 1930, to embrace all the Gaeltacht district in this county."
Is there any chance of having the facilities that have not been availed of in the Kilcaskan division transferred to any other portion of the district?
That would require legislation.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say if the local authorities have power to put the Act into operation where it is not working at present if they see the necessity?
The local authorities have no power to add a district that is not already scheduled as a Gaeltacht district.
Can they do it in the general scheme at their own expense?
They cannot.