I move:
That a Supplementary Sum not exceeding £15,000 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1936, for Grants to Universities and Colleges (8 Ewd. 7.c. 38; No. 42 of 1923; No. 32 of 1926; No. 35 of 1929 and No. 27 of 1934).
The annual statutory grant paid to University College, Cork until the year 1926, was £20,000. In addition to this the College received non-statutory grants amounting to £18,000 in 1921 and to £12,000 from 1922 onwards. Under the University Education (Agricultural and Dairy Science) Act, 1926, the annual statutory grant was increased to £40,000 and a special grant of £15,000 was made to the College for the extinction of debt or other capital purposes. In the discussions with the college authorities which preceded the introduction of this Act in the Dáil it was agreed that no further application would be made by the college to the State for increased moneys for a period of at least five years.
The period of five years having elapsed in 1931, the college authorities have for some time past being making representations for State Assistance towards the liquidation of the college debt amounting to £23,081, mainly incurred in the execution of necessary works of building and improvement. These works comprised the addition of a new art class room, necessitated by the inadequacy of existing accommodation and the construction of a new approach bridge and entrance gate to the college in place of the former bridge and entrance which were destroyed by floods in the year 1916. In support of their application the college authorities have represented that the works carried out in connection with the bridge and entrance gate were undertaken at the instance of the Minister for Finance, subject, however, to the understanding mentioned that no additional grant would be sought for a period of at least five years. While their contention was not supported by the official documents and therefore could not altogether be accepted, it was felt that the college authorities, had perhaps, whether as a result of possible misunderstanding or otherwise, felt justified in undertaking capital works of some magnitude to which they might not otherwise have committed themselves.
The remainder of the debt, a sum of £3,386, is stated by the College Authorities to be a residue of the College debt as existing in 1926, towards the extinction of which the grant of £15,000 mentioned above was made. It may be mentioned, however, that the Government Department were not altogether satisfied with the accounts, and certain arrangements had been made in regard to the future. The position might be summarised as follows: That, subject to the authority of the Dáil being forthcoming, a special ex-gratia grant of £15,000 should be made to the College, subject to the following conditions:—
(1) The Minister for Education must be satisfied as to the arrangements made for the use of Irish in the life and professional work of the College.
(2) The grant must be accepted by the Governing Body as a final settlement, so far as the Government is concerned, of any claim in respect of any "debt" or "deficiency" existing as at the 31st December, 1934, whether or not yet ascertained. The College should also indicate the steps which it proposes to take to liquidate within a reasonable period any debt remaining after the grant has been taken into consideration.
(3) The College must assume the entire responsibility in the future for all running expenses (excluding exceptional expenditure, if any, incurred on any extraordinary measures necessitated in connection with the first condition, in which case the Minister would be prepared to discuss with the College Authorities the necessity or desirability of affording them assistance for this special purpose), and for all expenditure of a capital nature, save where the latter is of such exceptional amount and character as to justify a State contribution, and is expenditure for which the Minister's prior approval has been obtained.
The Governing Body of the College have duly accepted these conditions, and have undertaken to do everything possible consistent with the requirements of the College to liquidate the balance of the debt.
It is proposed, in accordance with the agreement arrived at between the College Authorities and the Government Department concerned, that the ex-gratia grant should be given to the College of £15,000.