asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware that his decision to refuse the special grants to vocational committees subsequent to their programmes for the year having been published results in a serious upset to their whole arrangements for the fullest use of the staff and forces the committees to economise to the detriment of the pupils, and if, in the circumstances, he will consider reintroducing these grants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grants for Vocational Committees.
38.
It is not correct to state that I have refused special grants to vocational education committees. In fact special grants have been sanctioned for 1966-67 to a total of £671,000.
Vocational education committees have been requested to exercise the maximum economy so as to effect a balance between expenditure and the income available to them. This will involve, amongst other things, making the fullest and most effective use of the considerable resources already available to committees in the matter of staff. The economies necessary should be capable of being achieved without detriment to the pupils.
I should add that it is considered that in the case of some vocational education committees it should be possible to balance expenditure with income without the aid of a special grant.