andMr. Gallagher asked the Minister for Education the present grant being paid by his Department to the Department of Oceanography, UCG.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - UCG Oceanography Grant.
14.
The grants made available to UCG through the Higher Education Authority are for general purposes and separate provision is not made for individual departments within the college.
In reply to a question which I put to the Minister about the law studies department of University College, Galway, he informed me that the matter was under consideration and that a submission had been made to the Higher Education Authority. What happens in individual departments must be known to the Minister on occasion?
Not necessarily to the Minister but perhaps, to the Higher Education Authority. In respect of this item I am advised by An tÚdarás that it is not possible to indicate the grant allocation to the Department of Oceanography in question.
I should like to ask the Minister if his Department in deciding on the general grant to be made available to UCG considered the needs of the individual departments within the university before arriving at the general grant. If such is the case, I should like to know if the needs of the Oceanography Department were placed before his Department and the amount in question.
In accordance with the provisions of the Higher Education Authority Act, 1971, the universities and colleges of the NUI must submit all claims for State grants, both current and capital, for higher education purposes to An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachais. The Act also provides that there should be paid to An tÚdarás out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas such amounts for institutions of higher education as may be approved of by the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance. Any payment to an institution which An tÚdarás makes out of the amount that it received under the foregoing provision shall be made in such a manner, and subject to such conditions, as An tÚdarás thinks fit. It is really An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas which makes the division of these funds.
Would the Minister not agree that when An tÚdarás is making a decision it takes into account the claims from various departments in the university college concerned? I should like to know if that information is available to the Minister from An tÚdarás if he asks it.
I have asked, in order to be able to answer this question, but An tÚdarás is not in a position to give me the information. I understand that annual budget meetings of college authorities and An tÚdarás take place but the one for this year has not taken place.