I am not quite certain whether this is the appropriate place to raise the point, but I assume it may be raised on this section in relation to the main purpose of the Bill. The Minister says that its main purpose is to provide the necessary funds for vocational education committees to maintain and extend their schemes to meet local demands for vocational education services. Most of the committees have already put in their schemes, as they are bound to do, for next year. They are supposed to make provision for any development, either capital development in respect of buildings and equipment or any other contingent expediture for which they may be liable. I wonder if the Minister could inform us whether, in granting these additional powers for the placing of extra funds at the disposal of these committees, he has made it clear to them that any increases in salaries of vocational teachers, which I assume, I think, correctly, are bound to arise in the future, will be sufficiently covered by the charges they will be enabled to make under the Bill. It is very important for many of these committees that they should know where exactly they stand, because, if, as I assume, these salary increases are to be retrospective, there will be a very considerable charge upon the current Budget. The Minister should avail of the opportunity to make quite clear where these committees stand in regard to that point which is arousing a great dealt of interest, in view of his statement that a salary increase is about to be made.
Additional Estimate, 1950-1951. - Vocational Education (Amendment) Bill, 1950—Committee and Final Stages.
I made no such statement. On the Deputy's first question, this section provides that the scheme of the Bill will come into operation in respect of column 2 in the financial year beginning 1st April, 1951, and, as a matter of fact, 13 of the local authorities, in presenting their schemes, have taken cognisance of the increased powers to go above the rating figure to which they would normally be allowed to go but for the Bill. No difficulty arises from that point of view. The money provided here will be provided to meet all the various expenditure which the local authorities will have to meet during the year beginning 1st April, 1951.
If increased salaries are to be paid in respect of that period, I expect that the funds available to the local authorities will be sufficient to meet them, but I should like to correct the Deputy when he says that I made the statement that increases were coming. I did not make any such statement. I have representations before me from the vocational teachers seeking increases and that is a matter that is under consideration at present, but I am not in a position to say that increases will be brought about. All I have been able to say is that the matter has been before me for some time and is still under consideration.
From an intelligent point of view as an ordinary citizen, the Minister will scarcely say now that there are not going to be increases and will not confront the teachers with the statement that there is to be no increase in salaries when a general rise in salaries throughout the whole of the industrial field is indicated. It was in reference to that that I spoke. If these committees make the intelligent anticipation that there will be increases of salaries and an increased burden upon their revenue, are they assured by the Minister that they will be able to meet these charges in the year starting 1st April, 1951?
I cannot deal with hypothetical cases in this respect, but I am sure that there is no vocational committee which will find itself in difficulties in the coming year in relation to the rates set down here.
Is there any reason for the alteration from three miles to one mile?
The idea is to bring it into line with the Local Government Act. Travelling expenses were payable under the Local Government Act in respect of a distance of three miles, and that distance was changed to one mile under some recent legislation. This merely brings the position with regard to vocational education committees into line with the position with regard to other local authorities committees.
If that is in the Local Government (County Administration) Bill, there may be some discussion about the whole question of travelling expenses.
No. It brings it into conformity with the 1946 Act.
Might I avail of this opportunity to ask the Minister if he will allay some of the dissatisfaction which exists in the vocational education service and say when he proposes to set up arbitration machinery to deal with the wages, salaries and conditions of vocational education officers? It has been a long time pending and they have had long conferences with the Minister. They had hopes that he would make a statement at the end of October and at the end of November; it is now the end of the year and they are still hoping. I would impress upon the Minister that these people are faithful servants, and he would remove some of their dissatisfaction if he could give some indication when the matter would be finally fixed.
I will give that information as soon as I possibly can, but it would serve no useful purpose to give it at the moment, as I am in the middle of consideration bearing on that matter.
Will there be no indication for a month, three months or a year?
Are they going to get it?
I do not know whether I am in order or not. Ba mhaith liom iarraidh ar an Aire féachaint chuige go bhfaighidh na contaethe is boichte agus is Gaelaí lán-chothram na Féinne. Tá fhíos agam go bhfuil sé an-deacair gach rud a shocrú agus gach ceart a thabhairt, go mór-mhór nuair atá na scéimeanna ag athrú ó bhliain go bliain. Sílim go bhfuil tuairim láidir againn tríd is tríd ar an taobh seo den Tigh gur chóir gach cabhair is féidir a thabhairt do na contaethe is boichte agus do na contaethe a bhfuil ceantracha na Gaeltachta iontu. Do réir an Sceidil tá a lán rátaí le n-íoc ag lucht íoctha rátaí sna ceantracha sin agus sílím go bhféadfadh an tAire, tar éis na mblian go léir atá imithe thart, féachaint siar anois ar an mbunús a bhí faoi na ndeontaisí ar dtús. Ba cheart dó féachaint an bhfeadfaí sócrú níos fearr a dhéanamh agus níos mó cabhrach a thabhairt do na contaethe is boichte. Tá líon na ndaoine agus na luachála ag méadú sna bailte móra agus sna contaethe thart ar Bhaile Átha Cliath ach tá líon na ndaoine ag laghdú agus tá an-bhochtaineas i gceantracha an Iarrthair agus tá mé cinnte go bhféachfaidh an tAire lena dhícheall a dhéanamh na scéimeanna a fheabhsú sna ceantracha sin.
Ba mhaith liom freagra a thabhairt ar an Teachta Ó Deirg. Tá fhíos aige gur lean scéim na ndeontas Stáit i bhfeidhm ó 1930 nó 1931, ó thosach na scéime ar fad. Ní raibh aon tslí le cabhair a thabhairt do na contaethe faoi leith ach deontas speisialta a thabhairt. Anois, ós rud é go bhfuil borradh mór ag teacht faoi chúrsaí gairm-oideachais ar fud na tíre, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhféadfadh aon chontae níos mó airgid d'fháil ná mar atá siad a fháil faoi láthair. Gheibheann na contaethe go léir punt in aghaidh an phuint. Ó thosach fuair na bailte £4 in aghaidh an £1 agus teaspáineann san go raibh sé ar aigne ag na daoine an uair sin agus ó shoin i leith gur mó a theastaigh cabhair ón Stát i gcóir gairm-oideachais sna bailtí ná faoin dtuaith. Níl aon rud ann anois a chuirfeadh i dtuiscint dom gur cheart an rial san d'athrú. Ní foláir gach contae a thógaint ann féin agus más ceart cabhair a thabhairt d'aon chontae ar leith é a thabhairt don chontae sin. Ní dóigh liom gur ceart aon athrú a dhéanamh ar an scéim bunaidh atá ann ó thús.