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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 Feb 1967

Vol. 226 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Apprenticeship Scholarships.

18.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if it is intended that every apprentice who successfully completes a four year period in the farm apprenticeship scheme will be given a £500 scholarship.

In addition to complying with the conditions of the scheme generally and successfully completing the apprenticeship period——

Johnny Geoghegan will never be promoted Parliamentary Secretary. That is one thing certain.

Question No. 19.

I have not finished No. 18.

Because of disorder on the Fine Gael front bench.

I shall read it from the beginning again: In addition to complying with the conditions of the scheme generally and successfully completing the apprenticeship period, it is necessary that an apprentice should pass the prescribed tests with special merit to qualify for one of the £500 awards. The scheme is, of course, operating on an experimental basis.

Question No. 19.

The reason I put this question down is that I understand there is a question of valuation coming into this and I also understand that, of the apprentices that have started, practically nobody qualifies on this score for the £500. That is why I asked would they all get it if they successfully completed the course otherwise.

Am I at liberty to reply to that supplementary question?

The Minister need not ask permission. That is only one supplementary.

I was refused before when a question had been called.

A score of questions had been asked on the other question; there has been only one asked on this question.

There was only one answered.

Perhaps the Press will publish that.

I leave that to the Deputy's colleagues.

The Minister made a good job of it the other night.

In regard to this £500, there is this in it, that 75 per cent of whatever number of awards may be made are to be reserved on a means test basis, that is, where the income of the parents is under £500 per annum or the valuation £50 or under, 75 per cent of all the awards may be reserved for apprentices coming from such homes.

Is the Minister aware that that disqualifies practically all of the present apprentices?

That is the idea.

It would not appear as if they are a fair cross-section of our farming community, so.

Will the Minister see that they will still get the £500?

I would say that if they merit the £500 on this experimental scheme, they will get it.

That is, without a means test?

Not without—subject to.

Subject to the valuation limit?

In other words, they will not get it.

That does not quite follow—if there were not enough to take up what were going.

There are not enough.

I am not satisfied about that.

The Minister can satisfy himself.

I shall do that.

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