asked the Minister for Education whether the College of Science is still a branch of administration under the Department of Education; if he will state what changes in the administration of the College have been made for the current session; under what procedure these changes have been made; whether he intends to introduce legislation to carry out his policy of the reorganisation of the College of Science, and if not, if he will state the section of the Ministers and Secretaries Act or other Acts under which he intends to proceed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - POSITION OF COLLEGE OF SCIENCE.
The College of Science is still a branch of administration under the Department of Education; it will be recollected that it is intended that the work of the College of Science should in future be carried on by University College, Dublin, and that facilities for Agricultural Faculties should be made available in that College and in University College, Cork, and it has therefore been arranged that as from the beginning of the current Session students who are continuing courses of instruction entered upon by them in the College of Science in the last and previous Sessions are pursuing their studies under the auspices of University College, Dublin; the essential laboratories and equipment in the College premises at Merrion Street are being freed for the purposes of class instruction, and the services of the teaching and attendant staff have been made available for duties similar to those hitherto discharged by them; the changes so far made are purely matters of internal administration by the Department of Education; the additional changes necessitated by the policy regarding this institution are still under consideration, and I am not in a position at present to state whether it will be necessary to introduce legislation in furtherance of this policy. My personal view at the moment is that further legislation will be unnecessary, but I am not a lawyer.
Could the Minister add to that information as to whether arrangements previously made between the College of Science and the other Universities will still be in force?
If I had detailed information with regard to any arrangements of the kind I am quite certain I would be able to give a satisfactory answer.
If I communicate that to the Minister will he satisfy me on the point?
Certainly.
Has the Minister consulted the colleagues sitting on each side of him on the legal point?