asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware of the agitation in regard to the delay in the payment of the £5 grant in respect of children in Gaeltacht areas, and, if so, what steps he has taken to expedite the payment of these allowances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gaeltacht Children's Allowances.
There has been no delay in connection with the payment of the £5 grant in respect of children in Gaeltacht areas. In fact, due to the introduction, in respect of the school-year 1954-55, of a new procedure in connection with applications for this bonus, payment has already been made in respect of over 75 per cent. of the total number of children qualifying for the bonus in the previous school-year, whereas on the corresponding date in 1955 payment had been made in the case of less than 50 per cent. of these children.
The non-payment of the bonus in the remaining cases is due to the necessity of having investigations carried out locally in each case in regard to one or both of the two essential conditions which must be fulfilled before payment may be allowed, namely, (i) that Irish is the language of the child's home and (ii) that the child has attended school regularly during the school-year in respect of which the grant is being sought.
These investigations are being made with all possible expedition and it is hoped that in the great majority of cases, payment will have been made before the end of the present month in respect of those qualifying for the bonus in question.