asked the Minister for External Affairs whether he will seek to establish exchange scholarships with countries such as Denmark, Norway, Holland, Israel and Sweden which have an agricultural background, social objectives, economic problems and cultural patterns of life broadly similar to Ireland's, in order to learn from the accumulated experience of these countries.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Exchange Scholarships.
36.
This country has stagiaire agreements with Sweden, Switzerland and France and negotiations are in progress with other European Governments. Under these agreements persons from either country may take up employment in the other country, normally for 12 months, for the purpose of learning the language and of being trained or gaining experience in industrial, commercial, professional or agricultural practices.
Under the technical assistance and other projects of the O.E.E.C. and the European Productivity Agency, the various fellowship schemes administered by the Council of Europe, and the technical assistance programme financed from Counterpart funds, opportunities exist for Irishmen to study aspects of their profession or occupation in the industrial, agricultural, scientific and commercial fields in various Western European countries.
If full use is made of the facilities already available and if, within the necessary budgetary and administrative limits, these facilities continue to be developed, then we will achieve what the Deputy has in mind. I am not convinced that, in all the circumstances, bilateral agreements for exchange scholarships are required to achieve those objectives.