asked the Minister for Education if he will amend the regulations dealing with the payment of university grants so that students attending teacher training colleges may receive grants; and, if not, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answer. - University Grants.
18.
By the terms of the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968, the higher education grants scheme is confined to students following courses leading to a university degree or its equivalent. As the course of training for national teachers is at present not accepted as the equivalent of a course leading to a degree, trainee national teachers are automatically excluded from participation in the grants scheme. A loans scheme on the same means basis as the higher education grants scheme is, however, available to trainee teachers so that no candidate is excluded from training by reason of his parents' inability to pay the fee. It is not intended to amend the Act of 1968 to include in its scope courses of third-level education which are not of university degree standard.
Persons attending teacher training colleges are proceeding to third-level education in the same way as university students are, with a view to achieving a professional qualification. To give some of them grants and not others appears to me to be discriminatory and unconstitutional.
I do not accept that it is. The Higher Education Grants Act provided that the courses being followed should lead to a degree or its equivalent. The teacher training course is not accepted as being equivalent to a degree course.
The Minister's predecessor promised me about two years ago that he would introduce these grants for boys and girls who opted to go to teacher training college.
I am not so aware.
The Minister's predecessor promised me that he would bring in a scheme so that these boys and girls would qualify for the same grants.
At least we are providing loans so that no candidate is excluded from training by reason of his parents' inability to pay the fee.
Boys and girls attending universities get about £300 each. The Minister's predecessor promised he would bring in a Bill to compensate boys and girls who opted to go to teacher training college.
I am not aware of any such promise.
Are these loans freely and easily available?
The means test is similar to that for the grants scheme.
When will the Department of Education take steps to ensure that every teacher will have a degree qualification?
We are at present examining the whole question of teacher training, as the Deputy is aware.
I did not know it but it is about time.