asked the Minister for Education if he has any proposals for increasing at an early date the present inadequate number of secondary school and university scholarships; and if these will include grants for maintenance in addition to school and university fees.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Secondary School and University Scholarships.
39.
I deplore the fact that the number of scholarships awarded annually to secondary schools and universities is inadequate and that the vast majority of them are very inadequate in value. I intend to bring before the House at an early date by way of amending legislation a scheme which, I hope, will improve this position very considerably. It is the intention that the revised scheme would contain provisions whereby scholarship holders not resident at home while pursuing their studies would be awarded scholarships of greater value than in the case of scholarship holders resident at home.
40.
asked the Minister for Education the total number of university scholarships at present available in the State (a) for boys and (b) for girls.
The total number of university scholarships available in 1960 under Schemes administered by Local Authorities and the Department of Education was 145.
In addition, up to six scholarships in General Agriculture, Dairy Science and Horticulture are offered each year by the Department of Agriculture.
The Universities offer annually 36 entrance scholarships in addition to a number of bursaries and remissions of fees. The Department of Agriculture also offers a number of State Bursaries (usually six annually) to the two year course in Dairy Science at University College, Cork.
These scholarships are open to boys and girls.
41.
asked the Minister for Education the total number of secondary school scholarships at present available in the State (a) for boys and (b) for girls.
630 scholarships to Secondary and Vocational Schools are awarded annually through competitions conducted by my Department. In addition individual secondary schools offer scholarships tenable in their own schools but I have no precise information as to the number of these scholarships.
As most of the schemes of scholarships under County and Borough Councils do not allot the scholarships as between boys and girls, I am unable to say how many of the 630 scholarships are awarded to boys and to girls.
Can the Minister say if there is any State contribution towards these scholarships at present? Is there any recoupment at any time to the local authority?
No.