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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 May 1943

Vol. 90 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Revival of Irish Language.

asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the estimated total annual cost to the taxpayers and the ratepayers of the steps which have been taken by the Government to make Eire an Irish-speaking State, including (a) the annual cost of teaching the Irish language in primary and secondary schools and universities; (b) the annual cost of translating and printing official documents in the Irish language; (c) the various annual grants in aid of the Irish language; and (d) other annual expenditures in the revival of the Irish language.

As the answer consists mainly of tabular statements, I propose to circulate it with the Official Report.

Following is the answer:

It is estimated that in the financial year 1941-42 contributions amounting in the aggregate to £25,500, were provided by rating authorities out of rates towards the cost of the teaching of Irish under vocational education schemes of vocational education committees.

The provision included in the Estimates for Public Services for the financial year 1942-43 is set out in the subjoined tables, under heads indicating the different categories of expenditure which contributes to the advancement of the Irish language. It amounts in the aggregate to the sum of £319,993. It will be observed that the expenditure under heads II and III is, in the main, not specifically directed to the development of Irish as a spoken language, and is of a kind which would probably be incurred irrespective of policy directed towards the restoration of the language.

I.

EXPENDITURE hypothecated directly for the advancement of the language.

Vote

Service

Amount

£

Houses of the Oireachtas

Translation Staff

3,542

Old Age Pensions

Examinations in Irish

10

Commissions and Special Inquiries

Commission on Irish in the Civil Service

474

Stationery and Printing

Cost of Irish versions of official documents, etc. Grants to newspapers and periodicals published in Irish or publishing current news in Irish Publication of Irish translation of New Testament

16,364

Grants to newspapers and periodicals published in Irish or publishing current news in Irish

1,300

Publication of Irish translation of New Testament

400

Universities and Colleges

Additional grant to University College, Galway, for advancement of Irish generally

9,200

Further grant to University College, Galway, for lectureship through Irish

380

Grant to University College, Dublin, for Department of Modern Irish language and literature

3,000

Agriculture

Teaching of Irish in Agricultural Schools

90

Gárda Síochána

Allowances to Gárdaí serving in special Gaeltacht Areas

6,100

Circuit Court

Interpreters

100

Local Government and Public Health

Grants in respect of training of native Irish speakers in hospital nursing

560

Office of the Minister for Education

Staff connected with Gaeltacht Bonus Scheme

2,715

Staff of Publications Branch

4,828

Primary Education

Grants to Colleges providing courses in Irish for Primary Teachers

800

Special grants to teachers of certain schools in the Fíor-Ghaeltacht

7,000

Allowances to teachers in scheduled Bilingual Schools

600

Bonus to parents or guardians of certain pupils in the Gaeltacht and Breac-Ghaeltacht

22,000

Holiday scholarships in Gaeltacht

1,000

Secondary Education

Grant for Irish and Bilingual Schools

15,200

Special increments to teachers for teaching through Irish

11,000

Secondary scholarships for children from Irish-speaking homes in the Fíor-Ghaeltacht

7,700

Prizes for Irish

15

Publication of secondary school Text Books in Irish

1,400

Grants to Colleges providing courses in Irish attended by Secondary Teachers

70

Technical Instruction

Scholarships to Coláiste Tighis for Fíor-Ghaeltacht students

624

Proportion of grants to Vocational Education Committee which, it is estimated, is expended on the teaching of Irish in Vocational Schools

38,900

Science and Art

Publications in Irish

3,500

Production of Plays in Irish

1,818

Scholarships to Gaeltacht Students

2,297

An t-Oireachtas—Grant-in-Aid

500

Army

Salary of translator of military manuals, orders, etc.

458

TOTAL

163,945

II.

EXPENDITURE on language projects which have primarily an academic bearing and which might be undertaken, irrespective of the language drive, in the interests of Irish scholarship.

Vote

Service

Amount

£

Miscellaneous Expenses

Grant-in-Aid of publication of Contribution to the Lexicography of Early Irish

1,000

Proportion of general Grant-in-Aid to Royal Irish Academy estimated for Irish Studies

1,060

Stationery and Printing

Editing, printing, etc. of certain Irish Texts

5

Ordnance Survey

Materials for facsimile reproduction of ancient manuscripts

5

Science and Art

Irish Folklore Commission

3,650

Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies

School of Celtic Studies—Proportion of cost of administration

2,640

School of Celtic Studies—annual grant

8,620

TOTAL

£16,980

III.

EXPENDITURE on schemes or services which, although contributing to the advancement of Irish, nevertheless serve other purposes. In this category will be found provisions related to the relief of distress and congestion in Gaeltacht areas, the replacement of the monitorial and pupil-teacher system of training national teachers by the Preparatory College system and the relief of unemployment amongst national teachers.

Vote

Service

Amount

£

Public Works and Buildings

Preparatory Colleges (Building and Improvements)

3,000

Preparatory Colleges (Maintenance, repairs, rates, supplies and other current charges)

9,309

Gaeltacht Industries

12,295

Agriculture

Special schemes in Gaeltacht areas

820

Advertisements in Irish

350

Instruction of Gaeltacht migrants

360

Primary Education

Preparatory Colleges

25,026

(The Preparatory College system of training superseded the monitorial system, the cost of which was approximately £20,000 per annum.)

Additional teachers for schools weak in Irish

14,500

Technical Instruction

Special grants to Vocational Education Committees for continuation education or technical education in the Gaeltacht (Section 103 (2) of the Vocational Education Act, 1930).

2,850

Local Government and Public Health

Grants under the Schools Meals (Gaeltacht) Acts

10,000

Gaeltacht Services

Gaeltacht Services including Housing Grants

59,958

Army

Cost of preference given for contracts carried out in the Gaeltacht

600

TOTAL

£139,068

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