asked the Minister for Education if he will state: (i) the names of those who have, at any time, been appointed (a) to the Council of the Institute for Advanced Studies; (b) to the Governing Board of the School of Celtic Studies; (c) as senior professors, professors, visiting professors, assistants, or other academic members of the staff of the School of Celtic Studies, together with the dates of each of the above appointments and the person or body responsible for each such appointment; (ii) if any of the aforesaid has resigned, and if so, the date of such resignation, the cause thereof, to whom such resignation was sent, and the appointment, if any, made to fill the vacancy so caused; (iii) what form of accounts has been approved, what audits and reports have been received, pursuant to Section 28 of the Institute for Advanced Studies Act, 1940, and what Ministers have been associated therewith; and (iv) by what person or body was sanction given for the expenditure on the various publications of the School of Celtic Studies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Academic Appointments and Resignations.
(i) The information which the Deputy asks for in the first part of his question is to be found in the annual reports of the council of the institute and of the Governing Board of the School of Celtic Studies; these reports for the financial years up to and including 1945-46 have been duly presented to the Oireachtas in accordance with the statutory provisions relating thereto; some of the information is also included in my replies to the questions asked by Deputy Mulcahy here on 6th May last. The only additional information I have to give is that Dr. M. O'Brien has been appointed a senior professor on the staff of the School of Celtic Studies, with effect as from 1st July, and that Dr. John J. Nolan and Dr. Leo W. Pollak were appointed members of the council of the institute by the Governing Board of the School of Cosmic Physics on 26th March last. Appointments to the council of the institute are made in accordance with the terms of Sections 9 and 10 of the Act; appointments to the Governing Board of the School of Celtic Studies in accordance with Section 7 (d) of the Act and Article 6 of the Establishment Order; and appointments to the academic staff of the school in accordance with Section 8 of the Act and Article 11 of the Establishment Order, as regards senior professors, and in accordance with Section 20 of the Act and Article 15 of the Establishment Order as regards all other persons.
(ii) The only resignations in connection with which I or any member of the Government have any functions are the following:—(a) Dr. D.A. Binchy resigned his membership of the council of the institute and chairmanship of the Governing Board of the School of Celtic Studies, following on my declining, in the exercise of my statutory functions under sub-section (1) of Section 20 of the Act to give my approval to a recommendation of the governing board of the school for the appointment on a permanent basis of a junior member of the academic staff. Dr. Binchy's resignation was made in accordance with Section 12 (1) (a) of the Act, and took effect as from 2nd July, 1941. Right Reverend Monsignor Boylan was appointed to succeed Dr. Binchy as chairman as from 1st November, 1941. (b) Dr. O.J. Bergin resigned his position as senior professor in the School of Celtic Studies and ex-officio member of the governing board of the school, following on the same circumstances as led to Dr. Binchy's resignation. Dr. Bergin's resignation was made in accordance with Article 12 (3) of the Establishment Order, and took effect as from 2nd July, 1941.
Any other resignations that occurred were the domestic concern of the council of the institute and of the governing board of the school, and I have no responsibility in connection therewith.
(iii) A form of accounts entitled an "Account of Receipts and Payments" has been approved of by me with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance. This account has been submitted annually to the Controller and Auditor-General, and copies, with his report thereon, have been duly laid before the Oireachtas for each of the financial years 1940-41 to 1944-45, in accordance with the provisions of Section 28 of the Act.
(iv) The statutory provisions relating to the publications of a school of the institute are contained in Section 22 (1) of the Act, and I have no functions in relation thereto.
Is it or is it not correct that regulations made from time to time by the governing body of this institute and by the director of the institute, are subject to the approval of the Minister for Education?
The governing board of the school has power to make regulations regarding the duties of the director, under Section 7 (h) (i) of the Act and Article 14 of the Establishment Order. These regulations are not subject to the approval of the Minister.
I am asking the Minister are there any regulations made by the governors of this institute for the authority and control thereof, which are subject to the approval of the Minister for Education?
Yes, Section 23 of the Act—I have not the Act by me—gives the council of the institute authority to make regulations and provides that these regulations are subject to the approval of the Minister.
In that event is it not correct to say that the Minister is answerable to this House for the administration of this institute in so far as its administration is affected by the orders made subject to his approval? Is it not so? Would the Minister answer that? The Minister answers by a murmured "Sez you." He is eminently suited to be the head of the institute.
I made no answer.
You whispered that.
I did not whisper. The Deputy is guilty of an inaccuracy: I would ask you, a Chinn Comhairle, to ask the Deputy to withdraw the statement that I muttered: "Sez you."
If the Minister states that he did not so do, his word must be taken.
If I hear him muttering to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs and he says he did not say it——
The curious thing is I did not hear it.
The Minister says he made no such remark.
Is the Deputy withdrawing?
Withdraw what?
The statement that has been made. It has been denied by me and by my colleague the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. If anybody made such a statement it was not I.
Is the Deputy withdrawing the statement?
Withdraw what?
The statement that the Minister was replying——
I certainly heard the reply. I am prepared to accept his word but I cannot withdraw the statement that I heard the reply as that would be a lie. If the Minister says he did not reply, and if you Sir, say that I must accept his statement I am prepared to accept it but I cannot withdraw the statement that I heard it because it would be a lie and you cannot make me tell a lie by the rules of order.
We shall take the word of the Minister.
I shall take the word of the Minister for anything but I cannot be made to tell a lie by the rules of order of this House.
But the Deputy is telling a lie.