I sympathise very much with the speech which has just been delivered by Deputy Mrs. Concannon in regard to the position of these lecturers. But while I should be prepared, and the Government would be prepared to do a good deal to render their position a more acceptable one, and to make proper provision for their pensions, I cannot allow my sympathy so to mislead me as to take up a position in which the authorities of University College, Galway, would be relieved of the obligation of discharging what I believe to be the duty, and primarily the duty, of University College, Galway, with regard to those who are qualified to teach university subjects through Irish. In my view, the position of Irish, and particularly of Irish lecturers, in Galway College is a very unfortunate one and a very regrettable one. A valuation of the college pension fund disclosed a surplus of assets over liabilities of £21,000, and no part of that surplus, so far as I am aware, was appropriated to provide pensions for those who lecture through Irish in Galway College. The reason the Government has been so generous, comparatively speaking, to Galway College, and has kept the college open, is that university curricula might be provided in Irish. I think everybody will agree with me that the fact that the governing body of the college did not see its way to make some pension provision for these particular members of the staff, who, in my view, really constitute the effective reason for keeping the college open, shows a complete lack of appreciation not merely of the Government's and the State's policy, but of the policy of the people in regard to the national language.
At present the position in Galway College is an anomalous one. We have an endeavour made by the Government, particularly by the Minister for Education, to provide university teaching through the medium of Irish. In order to do that, and to do it without prejudicing and without affecting or victimising in any way those who are not qualified to lecture in their own particular subjects through Irish, we have had to duplicate the lecturing staff and the professorial staff in the college. I feel that there exists in Galway College a hard core of conservatism which objects to that change, and that those who were brought in as a new vitalising element in Galway College are treated rather as a body of usurpers or intruders; and that that is conspicuously manifested in the attitude which the College has taken up from time to time with regard to the status, salaries and pension rights of those members of its staff.
I think if the Government were to accept full responsibility and make full provision for everything which the lecturers through Irish are justly entitled to, and were to allow the governing body of the college to conserve the college assets and the college resources, and to reserve them solely for the enjoyment of the older personnel there—the personnel which is not qualifid to teach through Irish— that that would be an acceptance on the part of the Government of a principle which is entirely repugnant to popular feeling in regard to our national language. Accordingly, I say that, while I am prepared to meet a deputation from the governing body and discuss this question, it must be clearly understood that I will not discuss it on the basis that the obligation to make proper pension provision for members of the staff of Galway College, qualified to teach through Irish, rests solely on the Government. There must be an indication on the part of the authorities of University College, Galway, that they appreciate and accept and are willing to give practical effect to the policy of the Government in regard to the Irish language in the National University. I was asked to receive a deputation in November of last year, but, unfortunately, the date which was suggested was one which it was not possible for me to arrange. I intimated that on the 9th November. Since then I have heard nothing further about the matter. I would again like to say that, while I am willing to discuss it, I am not willing to discuss it on the basis that the Government must bear the whole cost of these pensions.
