asked the Minister for Education whether he will introduce for female students of physical education attending courses in this country a scholarship scheme comparable to that made available to male students attending courses elsewhere; and, if not, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Physical Education Scholarships.
79.
I would refer the Deputy to the answer given to a similar question on the 23rd October last.
It is because the answer to that question was so unsatisfactory that I put it down in this form. Would the Minister indicate clearly why male students should have all their expenses paid and be completely covered, while no assistance is given to female students?
As the Deputy is aware, there are no training facilities here for male students. These scholarships were made available because of the exceptional circumstances of the case, and when we have our own college here we can reconsider the whole situation. What we have done for the male students is not necessarily to be taken as a precedent as to what we shall do in future.
Does the Minister not agree that it is inequitable that the girls should have to pay the full cost when a scheme exists under which the full cost is paid for the men? This is a scheme we all welcome but on what grounds is this facility being afforded to male students and being withheld from the girls? Is it simply because it costs less to educate the girls that they are given no assistance, but because it costs more to send the boys abroad they are given assistance? Is this not completely inequitable?
The arrangement has nothing to do with the students who are being trained in this country. The colleges in which girls are being trained do not come under the Department of Education. As I already said, when we have a college of our own we can take all these factors into account.
Could the Minister say what is the relevance of that comment? The school in which the boys are training in England is scarcely under the aegis of the Department of Education. He subsidises the training of the boys abroad but refuses to subsidise the girls who are in colleges in this country where the cost would be lower.
We have no control over the girls' colleges here. We had special interviews in the case of the boys, and these were exceptional circumstances.
Would the Minister agree to introduce a scheme for the girls so that they can get scholarships?
When we have a college of our own we can consider all these factors.