asked the Minister for Education whether he will state on what basis the income of a farmer was calculated in deciding whether or not a farmer's children were entitled to avail of the Scheme of Scholarships from primary to secondary schools (1928-29), and whether he will state what is the lowest valuation on a farm that would debar the occupant's children from availing of this scheme.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FARMERS' CHILDREN.
Section 17 of the Local Government (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923, empowers county councils to award scholarships on certain conditions to students who are in need of assistance to enable such students to obtain a secondary education of a vocational character. The regulations governing the awards of these scholarships are set forth in schemes prepared by the county councils and approved of by the Minister for Education. When preparing these schemes the county councils exercise a wide discretion in the question of the need of assistance of the students. In view of the varying conditions as between residents in one county and residents in another, and of other circumstances, the details of the schemes in this respect vary considerably.