I move "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The present position is that University College receives a sum of £82,000 per annum. There is also payable to the College for the purpose of technical and general agricultural instruction such annual sum, not exceeding £24,984 as the Minister for Finance shall sanction. In November, 1931, the then Minister for Finance, on behalf of the Executive Council, gave an undertaking to a deputation from the College that the Government would provide, within a maximum of £3,000 per annum, the salaries and outlay falling on the College in the reorganisation and extension of the Department of modern Irish. The substance of that undertaking was subsequently confirmed by the present Government, and the purpose of this Bill is to give effect to it. Consequent upon the increased grants, a certain conversation took place between the Minister for Education and the College authorities, in consequence of which the authorities have agreed to make arrangements to bring the knowledge of spoken Irish to a satisfactory standard in the case of students of the College who desire to be admitted to degrees. In consequence of this scheme the Academic Council have adopted a proposal providing that in future no students of the College will be admitted to the degree of Arts, Commerce, Science, or Agricultural Science, until he, or she, as the case may be, has passed such oral examination in Irish as will ensure that the persons proceeding to the degree can speak Irish fluently and correctly. Secondly, that no student will be admitted to a degree in the professional faculties of Medicine, Engineering, Dentistry, or Architecture until such student has passed such oral examination in Irish as will ensure that the student can carry on a conversation in Irish on simple topics. As students in the faculty of law must first take an Arts degree, they must fulfil the conditions laid down for Arts students. Due to the number of foreign students who attend the College, exemption from these conditions may be necessary and will be granted in the case of such students. If Deputies refer to the text of the Bill, they will observe that it contains a preamble which recites that the governing body has agreed to make provision for the oral examinations in Irish. This preamble, as Deputies are aware, has no executive effect, but it places on record the circumstances in which the Bill has its origin and serves as a recognition of the steps taken by the governing body of the College to increase the use of Irish.
Control of Manufactures Bill, 1934—Money Resolution. - University College, Dublin, Bill, 1934—Second Stage.
Question put and agreed to.
Agreed to take the Committee Stage now.