Committee on Finance. - Vote 45—Office of the Minister for Education. – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil) – Tuesday, 24 Mar 1936

Committee on Finance. - Vote 45—Office of the Minister for Education.

Aire Oideachais (Tomás O Deirg)

Tairgim:—

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £113,512 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1937, chun Costaisí Oifig an Aire Oideachais, maraon le costaisí Riaracháin, Cigireachta, etc.

That a sum not exceeding £113,512 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1937, for the Expenses of the Office of the Minister for Education, including the costs of Administration, Inspection, etc.

£4,599,994—is é sin iomlán glan an mheastacháin costais le h-aghaidh seirbhísí oideachais, ó Vóta 45 go Vóta 50 (agus iad sin san áireamh) do bhliadhain a 1936-37; agus tá an tsuim sin £111,046 níos mó ná suim bhliadhna a 1931-32. Na Vótaí do Mheadhon-Oideachas agus do Cheárd-Oideachas is príomh-adhbhar do'n mhéadughadh sin. Suim an Vóta do Mheadhon-Oideachas, tá sí £79,575 níos mó ná mar bhí i 1931-32. Fáth mór le sin líon na scoláirí aitheanta le h - aghaidh Deontas Ceanntraithe bheith ag méadughadh gach bliadhain, agus, freisin, méadughadh buan bheith ag teacht ar líon na múinteóir a gcuirtear breis bhliadhantamhail le n-a dtuarastal. Maidir le Vóta an Cheárd-Oideachais, tá sé £63,142 níos mó ná mar bhí i mbliadhain a 1931-32. Is é is príomh-ádhbhar do sin na Deóntais Bhliadhantamhla do Choistí Gairm-Oideachais bheith ag dul i méid; óir, má théigheann an deóntas áiteamhail ó na rátaí ós cionn na minima do shocair Acht an Ghairm-Oideachais, 1930, ghnítear cuid de'n Stát-deóntas do mhéadughadh dá réir sin. Rud eile, tá méadughadh buan ag teacht ar na díolaidheachta do-ghnítear le Coistí Áiteamhla mar gheall ar phinsiona nó tabhartais agus mar gheall ar iasachta do réir Acht an Ghairm-Oideachais, 1930; agus caithfear glacadh le sin mar ghnáth-mhéadughadh.

Ar an taobh eile, tá meastachán chostas an Bhun-Oideachais £32,765 níos lugha ná meastachán bhliadhna a 1931-32.

An meastachán le h-aghaidh seirbhísí oideachais, ó Vóta 45 go Vóta 50 (agus iad sin san áireamh), tá sé £33,155 níos mó ná meastachán bhliadhna a 1935-36. I gcás an Vóta le h-aghaidh Oifig an Aire, tá sé £6,985 níos mó. Is é rud is príomh-adhbhar do sin an costas (mar aon le bonus) a bhainfeas le h-eagrughadh áirithe atáthar ag brath a dhéanamh ar fhoirinn Bhrainnse an Bhun-Oideachais. Tá meastachán chostas an Bhun-Oideachais £11,323 níos lugha ná mar bhí sé anuraidh. Níl costas na gColáiste Oileamhna chomh mór agus bhí sé, agus meastar go mbeidh laghadughadh eile, fós, ar líon na macléighinn i gColáistí Oileamhna na bhFear. Le n-a chois sin, tá laghadughadh ar an gcostas a bhaineas le tuarastail na n-Oide Scoile agus le Deóntais Cheanntsraithe. De thaobh amháin, tháinig an laghadughadh sin de bharr gan múinteóirí áirithe neamhriachtanacha bheith ann ó cuireadh cuid de na scoltacha le chéile; agus de thaobh eile, tháinig sé de bharr a dheacrachta agus bhí sé meastachán beacht do thabhairt, i mbliadhain a 1935-36, do chostas an scála leasuighthe tháinig i bhfeidhm, do'n chéad uair, sa bhliadhain sin. Maidir leis an líon le h-aghaidh aois liúntas, tá sé £15,500 níos mó ná mar bhí sé. Costas é seo atá ag síor-mhéadughadh ar siocair pinsiona de réir tuarastal beag bheith ag dul i n-éag agus pinsiona do réir tuarastal is mó ná iad sin bheith ag teacht chun íocaidheachta.

Meastachán chostas an Mheadhon-Oideachais do bhliadhain a 1936-37, tá sé £28,005 níos mó ná mar bhí meastachán 1935-36. Mar gheall ar a thuilleadh páistí bheith ag freastal na scoltach, tá £10,800 de bhreis sa mheastachán le h-aghaidh Deóntas Ceanntsraithe. Nidh eile atá níos mó ná bhí sé an deóntas do Scoltacha Gaedhilge agus do Scoltacha Dhá-Theangacha, óir tá méadughadh tar éis teacht ar líon na scoltach sin agus ar líon na scoláire bhíos ortha. Tá costas na mbreiseanna tuarastal £11,500 níos mó ná mar bhí, agus is iad seo na príomh-neithe is adhbhar do sin:—

(1) an ghnáth-bhreis tuarastal sa bhliadhain de réir na scála;

(2) a thuilleadh scoláire aitheanta bheith ann, agus, dá réir sin, a thuilleadh múinteóir a bhfuil na breiseanna dlighte dóibh;

(3) a thuilleadh múinteóir bheith ann a bhfuil an bhreis speisialta dlighte dóibh mar gheall ar theagasc tré Ghaedhilge.

Maidir leis an £12,623 de mhéadughadh atá ar an Vóta do Cheárd-Oideachas, is cóir a chuimhniughadh gur bh'éigean suim mheasardha airgid do chur leis na deóntais do Choistí Gairm-Oideachais mar gheall ar na deóntais áiteamhla ó na rátaí bheith os cionn na minima do shocair Acht an Ghairm-Oideachais.

Is beag nach ionann an meastachán do Eólaidheacht a's Ealadhain agus an méid do vótáileadh le n-a aghaidh sin anuraidh.

I gcompráid le Vóta 1935-36, tá an meastachán do Scoltacha Ceartúcháin agus Scoltacha Saothair £3,631 níos lugha. Is é an fáth is mó atá leis an athrughadh nach bhfuil, le tamall de bhliadhanta, a oiread páiste ar na scoltacha sin agus bhíodh, agus gur cóir, dá réir sin, an Deóntas Ceanntsraithe do laghadughadh.

Notice taken that 20 Deputies were not present; House counted, and 20 Deputies being present,

Tomás O Deirg

Tá líon na ndaltai sa gcúigeadh rang agus sna ranganna níos aoirde ná sin sna Scoltacha Náisiúnta ag dul i méid fós mar a bhí bliadhanta eile roimhe seo. Céad agus cúig mhíle déag, cúig chéad agus seachtmhó (115,570) líon na ndaltaí a bhí sna ranganna sin ar an 30adh Meitheamh, 1935, i gcomparáid le céad agus ceithre mhíle déag, ocht gcéad a hocht is fiche (114,828) ar an 30adh Meitheamh, 1934. Trí mhíle ochtmhód, sé chéad agus trí daltaí c a o g a i d (83,653) a bhí sna ranganna sin sa mbliadhain 1926-27. Is léir dá bhrígh sin go bhfuil an aois ina bhfágann daltaí an scoil ag árdú do réir a chéile 'chuile bhliadhain ó 1926 de bharr lánfheidhmiú an Achta Freastal Scoile. Do réir na bhfigiúirí maidir le tinnreamh le h-aghaidh na scoil-bhliadhna 1934-35, is léir, 'á nglacadh san iomlán, gur oibrigh an tAcht go h-éifeachtach i rith na bliadhna. Tháinig laigheadú beag ar na figiúirí i gcomórtas le figiúirí na bliadhna roimhe sin—0.2 ins an tinnreamh fé'n gcéad a rinne iomlán na ndaltaí scoile, agus 0.3 ins an tinnreamh fé'n gcéad a rinne na daltaí (ó 6 go 14 bliadhna d'aois) le n-a mbaineann an t-Acht. Cuimhnightear, ámh, gurb iad an tinnreamh fé'n gcéad a rinne iomlán na ndaltaí scoile agus an tinnreamh fé'n gcéad a rinne na daltaí (ó 6 go 14 bliadhna d'aois) le n-a mbaineann an t-Acht sa mbliadhain 1933-34 na tinnrimh is aoirde dá bhfuil aon chunntas ágainn ortha.

Sa bhliadhain 1934-5 rug Cathair Phortláirge an chraobh léithe ar aon Chonndae nó Chonndae-Bhuirg eile maidir le tinnreamh daltaí le n-a mbaineann an t-Acht. Bhí an tinnreamh a b'aoirde fé'n gcéad aca, eadhon, 88.1%. I n-a dhiaidh sin tháinig Cathair Chorcaighe (an áit a b'aoirde tinnreamh sa bhliadhain 1932-3 agus sa bhliadhain 1933-4) le 87.9%, Conndae Chorcaighe le 86.2%, Conndae Chiarraighe le 86.1%, Conndae Lughmhaidhe le 86%, agus Conndae Cheatharlach agus Conndae Laoighise le 85.9% an ceann. I seacht gcinn de Chonndaethe nó de ChonndaeBhuirgí, tháinig árdú ar an tinnreamh fé'n gcéad—i bhfichid ceann aca tháinig ísliú beag air i gcomórtas leis an bhliadhain roimhe sin; agus, i dtrí cinn aca, ní tháinig athrú ar bith ar an scéal.

Ins an bhliadhain airgeadais 1934-5, tugadh £153,181 mar dheóntaisí chun tighthe scoile do thógáil, nó do mhéadú, nó do chóiriú. Agus i mbliadhna táthar ar intinn suim na ndeóntas le h-aghaidh na h-oibre sin do mhéadú go dtí £200,000. Le cois an deóntas do mhéadú le h-aghaidh tógáil agus cóiriú tighthe scoile, táthar tar éis glacadh le pleananna nua chun scoilsheomraí de riail-standard áirithe do chur ar fagháil i n-a mbeidh breis fairsinge do na daltaí agus fós comhgar níos fearr le h-aghaidh scomraí clóca.

Maidir le tighthe maithe scoile a chur ar fagháil i n-ionad na sean-teach scoile ins na ceanntair tuaithe, tá an obair ag dul chun cinn chomh tapaidh agus is féidir. Ach leigeadh an obair chomh fada sin ar gcúl roimh an bhliadhain 1922 agus nach féidir an riaráiste a thárla a ghlanadh i n-am ghoirid. Fé láthair tá cóir réasúnta scol ins na cathracha agus ins na bailte móra i gcoitchinne; ach tá beagán baile fé'n dtuaith ann agus níl a gcuid tighthe scoile chomh fairsing nó chomh feileamhnach agus ba chóir dóibh a bheith. Tá réidhteach 'á dhéanamh fá láthair chun tighthe nua scoile do thógáil ins na h-áiteacha sin gan ró-mhoill. I dtaobh na scol i gConndae-Bhuirg Bhaile Átha Cliath, is cóir a rádh, ámh, gur neamh-ionann go mór an scéal annsin agus an scéal i n-áit ar bith eile. Na tighthe nua comhnuidhe atá dá dtógáil fé choimirce Bhárdas na Cathrach agus Chomhluchtaí eile fé ndear é sin. Mar gheall ar na tighthe nua sin ní bheidh a oiread páistí ag freastal na scol i lár na cathrach agus bhéadh gan iad. Tá cuid de na scoltachaí sin agus caithfear bail agus ath-chóiriú a chur ortha chun na seomraí a dhéanamh níos fairsinge agus níos feileamhnaighe. Ach caithfear san am chéadna gan a leigint ar dearmad go mbeidh a lán daoine ag dul a chomhnuidhe amach fé imeall na cathrach; agus caithfear a bheith faithchilleach gan costas a dhéanamh a d'fhéadfadh gan bheith riachtanach amach annseo maidir le tighthe nua scoile a chur 'á dtógáil i lár na cathrach, nó maidir le feabhsú na dtighthe scoile atá annsin fé láthair.

On ladh Abrán, 1933, tugadh céad agus cúig mhíle púnt (£105,000) san iomlán mar dheontaisí chun Scoltacha Náisiúnta i gCathair Bhaile Átha Cliath do thógáil agus d'fheabhsú. I gcás sé cinn de na deontaisí sin tógadh scoltacha nua, agus i gcás ceithre cinn eile aca rinneadh scoltacha d'athchóiriú nó do mhéadú go mór. Tá trí cinn de na scoltacha nua tógtha agus críochnuighthe; tá an obair ar siubhal i gceithre cinn eile; agus is gearr go dtosnófar ar an obair sna ceithre cinn eile atá fágtha.

Tá pleananna leagtha amach le scoltacha nua do thógáil i gCroimghlinn a meastar a chosnóchas ó ochtmhódh míle púnt (£80,000) go nócha míle púnt (£90,000) agus scoltacha i North Lotts a meastar a chosnóchas cúig míle déag púnt (£15,000).

Tá beartuighthe freisin scoltacha nua do thógáil i seacht bparáistí sa gCathair, agus ba cheart go mbeadh cuid mhór den obair déanta as seo go ceann bliadhna go leith.

Cé go bhfuil furmhór na dtighthe sásamhail, tá a lán le déanamh fós sul a mbeidh na tighthe scoile i gceart. Tá cuid díobh ró-shean agus i riocht tuitim as a chéile, cuid aca suidhte ar láthair atá mí-fholláin, cuid aca gan a ndóthain soluis ionnta agus seomraí gan bheith sáthach mór i gcuid eile; agus 'na theannta sin tá a lán scol ann a mbíonn beirt nó triúr oidí ag múineadh in aon tseomra amháin. Tá roinnt mhaith scol ann ina bhfuil seantroscán caithte agus droch-fheisteas eile. Is deacair do na h-oidí múineadh agus oileamhaint mar ba chóir a thabhairt do na páistí ins na scoltacha úd.

Ní déantar cuid mhaith de na tighthe scoile do dheisiú agus do mhaisiú go tráthamhail. Tá a lán bainisteoirí ann atá an-dúthrachtach san rud so, ach tá cuid mhaith dhíobh ann agus deallruigheann sé gur cuma leo cé an chuma atá ar na scoltacha atá fé na gcúram.

Is mór an moladh a bheirtear do na mná riaghalta as ucht an chaoi a gcoinnighthear seomraí na scoltacha clochair i gcomhnuidhe. Bíonn cuid mhór de scoltacha Bráthar beagnach chomh slachtmhar leo, agus bíonn an chuid is mó de na scoltacha atá fá bhan-oidí slachtmhar deismear freisin. Ach ní mór an moladh atá ag gabháil dá lán de na hoidí eile as an tslacht agus an tigheas a chleachtas siad, agus ní deagh-shompla do na páistí é. Féadfaí a lán a dhéanamh leis na scoltacha a choinneál glan agus le miondeisiú a dhéanamh gan costas ar bith ach na hoidí agus na daltaí bheith ag cabhrú le na chéile san obair seo. Bíonn páipéir scaptha fá'n urlár agus fá'n gclós go minic, agus ní múintear do na páistí nach ceart iad a chaitheamh uatha mar sin. Is minic freisin nach nglantar na ballaí go maith ar maidin sul a dtosnuighthear ar obair an lae.

Cé go dtugtar aire mhaith do théitheadh na scoltacha i gcoitchinne i gcaoi go mbíonn na seomraí te compóirteach, tá roinnt scoltacha ann a bhíos fuar anróiteach san nGeimhreadh. Amannta is ar na similéir nó na grátaí a bhíos an locht i gcaoi gur suas an similéar a théigheas an chuid is mó den teas. Tá roinnt mhaith seomraí móra taobh le gráta amháin, agus na daltaí a bhíos ar an dtaoibh i bhfad ón teine bíd préachta leis an bhfuacht, agus is minic gurab iad na páistí is óige agus is laige ar an scoil iad. I n-áiteacha ní adhantar an teine sáthach luath ar maidin agus leigtear as í ró luath san tráthnóna. I néindigh leis sin ní bhíonn aon teine ina lán scoltacha go dtí lá Samhna agus éirighthear aisti ar fad i ndeire an Mhárta, agus deir cuid de na cigirí go mbíonn an tinnreamh íseal ins na scoltacha so mar gheall air sin i ndeire an Earraigh agus i ndeire an Fhoghmhair. Tá sé de dhualgas ar Bhainisteoirí freisin féachaint chuige go mbeidh cumhdaigh theine i scoltachaibh fé n-a gcúram 'na mbeidh páistí fé bhun seacht mbliadhan d'aois.

Is iomdha gearán a ghnítear i dtaoibh na gcúltighthe. Is minic a bhíos siad go fliuch salach, agus droch-chaoi ar an gcabhas ag dul chucha. Ní follmhuighthear na claiseanna go hiondual. Deirtear uaireannta gur deacair duine d'fhagháil leis an obair sin a dhéanamh. Ach is tearc scoil a gcuirtear cré thirim go laetheamhail ins na claiseanna áit nach bhfuil cóir uisce ann, agus is minic a bhíos boladh bréan ag éirghe uatha san Samhradh, agus is mór an chontabhairt don lucht scoile an chaoi a mbíonn siad. Ins na bailte móra agus áit ar bith a mbíonn cóir uisce ann is beag cúis gearáin a cloistear faoi na cúltighthe.

Is léir ó chunntaisí na gcigirí go gcuireann na hoidí i gcoitchinne spéis na gcuid oibre agus go ndéanann siad a ndícheall le oileamhaint mhaith a thabhairt do na páistí. Taobh amuigh de cheachta múinid béasa maithe agus prionsabail deagh-iomchair agus Críostaidheachta dhóibh. Caithid dúthracht leis na páistí a chur i n-oireamhaint don saoghal atá rómpa. Ní hionann sin is a rádh nach bhfuil oidí ann atá failightheach 'na ndualgaisí. Tá oidí ann nach gcuireann mórán suime i n-oileamhaint na ndaltaí agus nách ndéanann a gcuid múinteorachta ach ar nós cuma liom ó ló go ló. Tá oidí eile ann agus cé nach bhfuilid chomh neamartach sin, ní bhaineann siad toradh mar ba chóir as a gcuid oibre toisc nach ndéanaid ullmhú cruinn agus machtnamh ar na ceachta roimh ré. Tá oidí eile ann agus tagann meath ar a gclisteacht múinteorachta agus ar a gcuid eolais toisc nach leanaid ar aon chúrsa léighinn tar éis fágáil na gcoláistí dhóibh.

Is féidir a rádh go bhfuil cáilidheacht furmhór na múinteoirí sásamhail cé is moite den chúigeadh cuid nó mar sin de na hoidí nach bhfuil aon cháilidheacht san nGaedhilg aca: sean-oidí an chuid is mó díobhtha so. Tá eolas ar an nGaedhilg ag dul i méid i measc na múinteoirí do réir mar atá na daoine óga ag teacht amach as na coláistí: ach tá sé le tabhairt fé deara go bhfuil cuid de na hoidí a bhfuil an teastas dá-theangach aca, go bhfuil siad ag cailleamhaint a gcuid Gaedhilge ceal cleachtuighthe agus staidéir. Ach tá a lán oidí ann agus cé go bhfuil colas maith ar an nGaedhilg aca, tugaid cuairt ar an nGaedhealtacht beagnach gach bliain.

Le roinnt blian anuas bhí cúrsaí gearáin ann fé'n gclár scoile. Cuireadh i leith an chláir go raibh ualach róthrom ar na múinteoirí agus nach raibh caoi aca leis an nGaedhilg a mhúineadh mar ba chóir. Tugadh cluas don ghearán sin agus cinneadh ar an gclár d'éadtromú i gcaoi go laghdóchthaí cúrsa an Bhéarla agus go gcuirfí Eolas ar Nadúr agus ar Mhatamaitic i leathtaoibh i bhfurmhór na scol a raibh na hádhbhair seo riachtanach go dtí seo. Bheadh cosc ar an mBéarla i rang na naoidheanán áit ar bith a mbeadh eolas maith (an teastas dá-theangach, cur i gcás) ag an oide. Ní bheadh an Béarla oibliogáideach san gcéad rang feasta, agus bhéadh cúrsa níos simplidhe san mBéarla ins na ranga eile, go dtí nach mbeadh leabhra ní ba dheacra le léigheadh san sémhadh rang ná mar bhí dhá léigheadh de ghnáth san gceathramhadh rang roimhe seo. An t-am a sábháilfí mar sin bheadh ar na hoidí é a thabhairt do mhúineadh na Gaedhilge.

Níorbh' fhéidir an toradh a thiocfas as an gclár nua a mheas le cinnteacht, go ceann roinnt blian, ach sé tuairim na gcigirí go dtiocfaidh feabhas mór ar mhúineadh na Gaedhilge dá bhárr.

Mr. Dillon

I am sorry to interrupt the Minister, but he has been good enough to supply me with a copy of his statement, of which half is in English and half in Irish. There are a number of paragraphs in this which the Minister is not reading. May I take it that the Minister has amended his statement as he is reading it, or am I to take it that the statement before me is a correct version of what the Minister desires to say on the Estimate?

Mr. Derrig

The statement was given to the Deputy to enable him to follow the speech. I think the English translation covers in full all the points I have raised. In certain cases, owing to the fact that the statement is somewhat long, I have not mentioned some of the less significant points.

Mr. Dillon

On the page the Minister is reading in Irish he has omitted a paragraph from his statement which appears in my copy of the statement. After the words "do mhúineadh na Gaedhilge," appears the paragraph beginning "Cuireadh amach imlitir do bhainisteoirí." The Minister has hopped that paragraph beginning with the words "Cuireadh amach imlitir do bhainisteoirí".

Tomás O Deirg

Do réir tuairiscí na gcigirí tá feabhas tagaithe ar stáid na Gaedhilge san bhFíor-Ghaedhealtacht agus san mBreac-Ghaedhealtacht le bliain anuas, agus tá deontas an dá phúnt ag cuidiú go mór leis an nGaedhilg. Deirtear go bhfuiltear in áiteacha ar theorainn na Gaedhealtachta ag iarraidh an Béarla a choinneáil siar chun an dá phúnt a thuilleamh. Deir duine de na cigirí: "Má leanann na daoine ar an bhfuadar atá fútha leathnóchaidh an Ghaedhealtacht".

Mr. Dillon

On a point of order. I desire to inquire whether the paragraph beginning with the words "Cuireadh amach imlitir do bhainisteoirí" is going to be reproduced in the Official Reports or not, because, if it is, it ought to be read out in this House. The Minister should not abbreviate a written statement and then hand the statement in extenso to be incorporated in the Official Reports. My submission is that it is by courtesy the House permits the Minister to read his statement, but it is on the clear understanding that everything in the statement is read, and that everything which is going into the Official Reports is in fact being read by the Minister. There is a paragraph in the copy of the statement before me, which I believe the Minister to be reading, which the Minister has not read out to the House. I ask him, therefore, to see that that paragraph is elided from the Official Reports.

Tá cuid de na cigirí ámhthach gan bheith ró-shásta le múineadh na Gaedhilge i ranga na Naoidheanán.

An chomhairle oifigeamhail a bhaineas leis an nGaedhilg d'úsáid mar chóir mhúinte tá sí curtha síos go mion agus go cruinn san imlitir a cuireadh amach i Mí na Samhna, 1931. Moltar do'n oide gnáth-theanga an ranga a dhéanamh de'n Ghaedhilg i dtosach agus í d'úsáid taobh amuigh de'n teagasc san mion-chainnt a bhaineas le órduighthe, le teachtaireachta beaga, le comhairle, le smacht, &rl., sul a mbainfí feidhm aisi mar theanga an teagaisc.

Is fíor, ámhthach, go dtugann oidí amannta iarracht ar na h-ádhbhair a mhúineadh tré Ghaedhilg agus gan a ndóthain eolais ar an nGaedhilg ag na páistí. Cuireadh i leith na gcigirí go mbíonn siad ag gríosadh na n-oidí chun gabháil do'n mhúineadh tré Ghaedhilg áit nach ceart, ach ní dócha go bhfuil bun leis.

Sé baramhail na geigirí tré chéile go bhfuil an líon seol a múintear an chuid is mó de na h-ádhbhair léighinn tré Ghaedhilg ag dul i méid diaidh ar ndiaidh. "Maidir le múineadh tré Ghaedhilg," arsa cigire, "tríd is tríd bhí an oiread á dhéanamh i bhfurmhór na scol as do b'fhéidir agus bhí na h-oidí fonnmhar i gcoitchinne." Tá ceanntracha ann a múintear gach ádhbhar tré Ghaedhilg san gcúigeadh cuid nó mar sin de na scoltacha, ach tá ceanntracha eile ann nách mbítear ag múineadh na n-ádhbhar uile tré Ghaedhilg ach i bhfó-scoil go fóill. Ach tá roinnt mhaith scol i ngach ceanntar a bhfuil cuid de'n teagasc á thabhairt tré Ghaedhilg agus an méid sin á leathnú amach gach bliain. San mBreac-Ghaedhealtacht is mó a bhfuil an dul chun cinn ann. Tá na cigirí sásta go mbíonn toradh maith leis an teagasc tré Ghaedhilg i gcoitchinne, go mbíonn na páistí i ndon an teagasc do leanamhaint go réidh, agus go mbíonn for-fhás intleachta le mothú de thairbhe na h-oibre.

Ní mór bheith ag cuimhneamh nach féidir bheith ag súil le caighdeán chomh h-árd san mBéarla is a bhí roinnt blian ó shoin. Mar sin féin múintear an Béarla le h-éifeacht, cé nach múintear an aithriseoracht agus an ghramadach go tuigseanach ina lán scol, agus ní deantar cóimhcheangal idir gramadach na Gaedhilge agus gramadach an Bhéarla. I gcuid de na scoltacha claoidhtear an iomarca le léigheadh ós árd ins na hárd-ranga i n-ionad na páistí a chur ag tóruigheacht eolais agus smaointe dóibh féin as na leabhraibh.

Tá scríobhadh an Bhéarla go maith i gcoitchinne cé gur minic go mbíonn dearmhad litrighthe ro-fhairsing sna h-aistí. Amannta cuirtear na páistí ag scríobhadh ar ádhbhar leamh comónta, agus is annamh a músgailtear samhlaidheacht an pháiste mar ba chóir.

Mar gheall ar éadtromú an chláir ní múintear Ailgéabar nó Céimseata de ghnáth ach ins na scoltacha móra do bhuachaillí, agus bhíonn toradh réasúnta maith leis an teagasc i gcoitchinne.

Múintear an uimhridheacht go sásamhail nó go cuibheasach sásamhail i bhfurmhór na scol. Tá sé de locht ar an dteagasc i gcuid mhaith scoltacha fós go mbítear ag brath rómhór ar mhianach na dtéacs-leabhar agus go mbíonn an teagasc rótheibidhe agus ró-dheigilte amach ó shaoghal na scoláirí.

Is beag athrú a tháinig ar thoradh an tsaothair ins na h-ádhbair léighinn eile ó scríodhadh an tuarascabháil deiridh.

Ag tagairt do scéim an dá phúnt, do céad-chuireadh an Scéim seo ar bun sa scoil-bhliadhain 1933-34, agus bhí ar bun arís i gcóir na scoil-bhliadhna 1934-35.

Ar a shon nach bhfuil ach breis bheag ar dhá bhliadhain ó deineadh an Scéim do chur ós chomhair an phobhail, ní misde a rádh go bhfuil athrughadh tuisciona maidir le labhairt na teangain tagaithe dá barr chun an phobail ins na ceanntracha Gaedhealacha, agus go bhfuil toradh fighanta cheana féin le feidhm na Scéime sin (dá ghiorracht é ó tosnuigheadh lei) chun an Ghaedhilg do chur fé mheas agus í choimeád mar bheo-theangain ins na h-áiteanna Fíor-Ghaedhealacha agus í chur dá labhairt ath-uair i n-áiteanna 'na raibh an Béarla ag gabháil nó gabhtha lastuas di go dtí so. Tá áiteanna 'na raibh an Béarla le cloisint chomh coitchiannta leis an Ghaedhilg dá bhliadhain ó soin, go bhfuil an Béarla curtha ar ceal anois ionnta agus áiteanna eile gur fánach an uair go dtí le goirid a cloistí an teanga Ghaedhilge ach ó bhéalaibh na sean-daoine, agus anois tá an Ghaedhilg á h-úsáid go coitchiannta mar ghnáth-urlabhra 'na lán tighthe.

Tá de thoradh na Scéime seo i 12 Scoil-cheanntracha, a áirmhigheadh go dtí so mar Ghaedhealtacht, go bhfuil an Ghaedhilg dá labhairt coitchiannta anois i dtighthe na nadaoine agus go bhfuil sí ag an aos óg ag teacht ar scoil an chéad lá dhóibh. Áirmhightear anois na scoil-cheanntracha sin mar Ceanntracha Fíor-Ghaedhealacha fé Riaghail 121 de'n Chórus. Tá ceithre cinn des na scoil-cheanntracha san i dTír Chonaill; ceithre cinn díobh i gConndae na Gaillimhe, trí cinn díobh i gConndae Chiarraighe agus ceann amháin i gConndae Phortláirge.

D'fhonn comparáid do dhéanamh idir an scéal mar a bhí bliadhain ó shoin agus mar atá anois seo an méid páistí gur tuilleadh an deontas ortha i n-aghaidh na scoil-bhliadhna sin, 1933-34:

Fíor- Ghaedhealtacht.	Gaedhealtacht.	Breac- Ghaedhealtacht.	Iomlán.
7,279	1,385	270	8,934

agus san 1934-35:

Fior- Ghaedhealtacht.	Gaedhealtacht.	Breac- Ghaedhealtacht.	Iomlán.
8,098	1,599	485	10,182.

Chífear gur tuilleadh an deontas ar 1,248 páistí bhreise 1934-35 seachas mar ar tuilleadh i 1933-34, agus go bhfuil níos mó ná 10,000 páiste i gceist i mbliadhna.

Is cúis mhór imnidhe dúinn an oiread sin fear a bheith tréineálta mar oidí ins na bliadhanta deireannacha seo agus gan obair sheasmhach le fagháil aca go fóill ins na Scoltachaí Náisiúnta. Mar gheall ar sin, laigheaduigheadh líon na mac léighinn i gColáistí na bhFear sa bhliadhain 1935; agus déanfar laigheadú is mó ná sin má meastar é bheith riachtanach chun an scéal do léigheas.

Tá athrú tábhachtach amháin déanta ar an modh iontrála go dtí an Coláiste Oileamhna ó tugadh na meastacháin isteach anuiridh. 'Séard ba chúis leis seo go bhfuil líon na n-iarrthóirí a thagas isteach ar chomórtas oscailte ag dul i méid ó bhliain go bliain le roinnt bhlianta anuas agus go bhfuil na h-iarrthóirí féin ag dul i bhfeabhas freisin.

Tá de thoradh air seo anois gur leor ann féin an scrúdú oscailte seo i dteannta scéime na gColáistí Ullmhúcháin leis an méid iarrthóirí a bhéas ag teastáil in aghaidh na bliana chun na háiteacha nach mbeidh curtha in áirithe do Chéimidhthe Ollscoile, do Oidí Conganta Neamh-oilte, etc., a líonadh, agus an scéal mar sin ní bheidh gádh feasta le scéim na Scoláiroidí.

Maidir leis an Scrúdú Comórtais Oscailte le gabháil isteach ins na Coláistí Oileamhna agus leis an Scrúdú i gcóir cáilíochta mar Oide Conganta neamh-oilte agus mar fó-Mháighistreás Conganta, 'séard atá sa scrúdú ar a dtugtar "Scrúdú Iontrála na gColáistí Oileamhna," scrúdú um Cháisc agus scrúdú na hArd-Teistiméireachta i Mí Mheithimh.

Táthar sásta i mbliana freisin le méid agus le feabhas na n-iarrathóir a chuireas isteach ar an scrúdú seo. Is dócha gur toisc an deacracht a bhaineas le posta fháil le cúpla bliain anuas a tháinig laghdú ar an méid fear a chuir isteach ar an scrúdú sa mbliain 1935. Maidir leis an scéal seo tá fógra tugtha nach mbeidh ach uimhir bheag áit ins na Coláistí Oileamhna sa gcomórtas oscailte bheas ann i Meadhon Foghmhair na bliana 1936 do fheara.

Leantar i gCurriculum na gColáistí Oileamhna de'n chúrsa a leagadh amach sa gClár nua a tugadh isteach i dtús an tSéisiúin 1932-33. Is thríd an nGaedhilg a tugtar an teagasc, thríd is thríd, agus 'sí an Ghaedhilg an teanga a labhartar ins na Coláistí go léir, cé's moite de chúpla adhbhar i gColáiste amháin, áit a bhfuil cor neaghnáthach ar an scéal, agus tá súil againn gur cor sealadach é sin.

I gcás na mac léighinn ins na Coláistí Ullmhúcháin fritheadh caighdeán an-árd i scrúduighthe na h-Árd-Teistiméireachta agus na Meán-Teistiméireachta ó 1929 go 1934, agus fritheadh an t-árd-chaighheán céadna sa bhliadhain 1935. Is fiú tagairt a dhéanamh do'n nidh seo; as na 853 de mhic léighinn ó na Coláistí sin a chuaidh faoi Scrúdú Árd-Teistiméireachta na Meán-Scol i rith na sé mbliadhan seo caithte, d'éirigh le 99% díobh pas do ghnóthú, agus d'éirigh le ós cionn 95% díobh pas le h-onóracha do ghnóthú. Is breágh ion-mholta an toradh é sin.

Tugadh míniú cheana nuair a bhíodh na meastacháin seo dá bpléidhe ar na scéimeanna speisialta atá i bhfeidhm chun cabhruighthe le mic léighinn bhochta ó'n bhFíor-Ghaedhealtacht chun dul le múinteoireacht.

De thoradh na Scéimeanna seo tá méadú maith tagtha ar an líon iarrthóirí ó na ceanntair sin a chuireas isteach ar an scrúdú le cúpla blian anuas. Sa mbliain 1935 chuir 360 iarrthóir ón bhFíor-Ghaedhealtacht isteach ar an Scrúdú Iontrála, i gcomparáid le 100 duine chuir isteach ar Scrúdú na bliana 1931.

B'aoirde meán-chaighdeán na bhfreagraí a thug na hiarrathóirí ón bhFíor-Ghaedhealtacht ag an Scrúdú Iontrála sa mbliain 1935 ná i n-aon bhliain roimhe sin; d'éirigh le 55% an marc cáilíochta a bhaint amach i gcomparáid le 51% sa mbliain 1934 agus le 42% sa mbliain 1933.

Tá an meadhon-tinnreamh ag Scrúduighthe Teastais na mBun-Scol beagáinín fá bhun 11,000 fós, agus tá meadhon-uimhir na bpas beagáinín fá bhun 8,000. B'iad na neithe ba shásamhla dár bhain le scrúdú na bliadhna 1935 gur mhó de na mic léighinn gur éirigh leo ná sa mbliadhain 1934, cé gur lugha an méid scoláirí a bhí istigh air, agus nach bhféadfaí aon locht d'fhagháil ar an gcuma a ndearnadh an mharcáil, ach amháin i gcorr-chás. Ach tá an gnáth-thinnreamh gan bheith chómh sásamhail fós agus ba mhaith le duine. Coimeádann an Príomh-Chómhchoiste (de chigirí agus de mhúinteoirí) caighdeán na marcála fá riaghail, agus ní raibh an oiread céadna teachtaidhthe ar an gcoiste sin agus bhí bliadhanta roimhe seo.

Cé nach dtáinig aon mhéadú ar uimhir na gCómhairle a raibh scéimeanna scoláireachta á n-oibriú aca fá'n acht um Rialtas Aitiuil (Forálacha Sealadaca) 1923, sa mbliadhain 1935, (.i. 24 Cómhairleacha Conntae agus Cómhairleacha Conntae-Bhuirge), tá dul ar aghaidh seasmhach á dhéanamh i mbliadhna. Tá scéimeanna á gcur ar bun i gConntae Chill Dara agus i gConntae Chill Mhanntain, i dtreo go mbeidh scoláireachtaí á n-oibriú ag 26 Cómhairleacha den 31 Chómhairle atá ann ar fad. Is iad na cúig conntaethe seo leanas na conntaethe nach mbeidh scéimeanna scoláireachta á n-oibriú aca: Conntae Cheatharlach, Conntae an Chláir, Conntae Luimnigh, Conntae na Midhe agus Conntae Phortláirge.

Bhí 1,590 iomaidhtheoir fá scrúdú sa mbliadhain 1935, i gcomparáid le 1,371 sa mbliadhain 1934, ach thuit an méid ar éirigh leo marc cáilidheachta na scoláireachta do bhaint amach ó 597 go dtí 496.

Bhí cúig ath-chomhare seascad (65 ath-chomhare) i gcoinne tuarascbhála a rinneadh faoi chigireacht ghenearálta ar obair oidí fá leith. Bhí naoi gcinn de chruinnighthe ag an mBord Ath-Chomhairc le breith a thabhairt ar na cásanna seo.

Meán-oideachas.—Insan scoil-bhliadhain 1934-35 bhí 319 meadhon-scoil ag obair fá'n Roinn, agus 33,499 scoláire ar na rollaí aca. Is breis de 5 scoil agus de 1,115 scoláire é sin ar uimhreacha na bliadhna 1933-34, agus bhí 3 scoil agus 1,418 scoláire de bhreis ag an mbliadhain sin ar an mbliadhain a ghabh roimpi. Tá éifeacht sna huimhreacha sin, mar teasbáineann siad an dul ar aghaidh atá á dhéanamh i gcúrsaí Meadhon-Oideachais agus an forfhás atá air le roinnt bhliadhan anuas.

Is cúrsaí imnidhe don Roinn, ámhthach, go bhfuil scoltacha ann go bhfuil fonn ar lucht scoltacha an iomarca ainmneacha do chur ar na rollaí i gcuid de na ranga, go mór mór na bun-ranga, le tamall anuas. Do rinneadh iarracht ar é sin do leigheas le cigireacht agus le riarachán, agus cuireadh riaghail nua i Riaghlacha na bliadhna 1934-35 ina gcuirtear i dtuigsint nach measann an Roinn gur leor an fhoireann múinteoireachta chun obair na scoile do dhéanamh má bhíonn oiread san scoláirí in aon rang agus nach féidir an teagasc do dhéanamh go héifeachtamhail.

Foirgnithe.—Tá furmhór mór na dtighthe sgoile go breágh fairsing áirgeamhail. I ngeall ar líon na ndaltaí do bheith ag dul i méid tá roinnt mhaith sgol arbh éigin foirgnithe nuadha a thóigeáil ionnta le cúpla bliadhain anuas, agus is mór an chreideamhaint do lucht ceannais na sgol sin an chaoi a ndeárnadh an obair.

Gléas agus fearras.—Maidir le gléas agus fearras is mó cloistear clamhsán faoi na trí hádhbhair seo ná faoi ádhbhair ar bith eile—Stair, Tíreolaidheacht, Tráchtáil. Tá roinnt mhaith sgoltach gan na fearaistí riachtanacha ionnta leis na hádhbhair sin do theagasg sa cheart—iliomad léarsgáileann, cairteacha, trodáin, &rl.

Leabhra agus leabharlanna.—Do réir a chéile tá lucht stiúrtha na sgol ag glacadh leis an mbaramhail gur mór amach an chabhair don teagasg leabharlann mhaith de leabhraí creideamhnacha ughdarásacha bheith ar fagháil i ngach sgoil, agus is ar éigin má tá sgoil ar bith anois gan iarraidh éigin bheith déanta ar leabharlann a chur le chéile innte.

I gcuid de na sgoltacha ceaptar gurbh am amudha an t-am a chaithfeadh daltaí ar léightheóireacht ghinearálta, agus uime sin ní spreagtar iad chun feidhm cheart do bhaint as an leabharlainn, agus ní tugtar dóthain ama dóibh le sin a dheanamh, ach tá sgoltacha den chineál sin ag dul i dteirce i n-aghaidh na bliadhna.

An Ghaedhilg.—Tá an Ghaedhilg ag breith léi ó bhliadhain go bliadhain, ach tá dhá ní a mbudh deacair do mhúinteoirí agus do dhaltaí nár tóigeadh le Gaedhilge a dtabhairt leo sa cheart—an fhoghraidheacht agus dúthchas na teangadh. Tá an fhoghraidheacht ag feabhsú go mór ach tá puinntí áithride ina mbíonn sí lochtach ar uairibh go fóill. Is fíor go dtéigheann a lán de na múinteoirí'un na Gaedhealtachta gach bliadhain agus go mbíonn a bheag nó a mhór de chainnteoirí dúthchais i gcuid de na sgoltacha. Ach do réir chosamhlachta níor tugadh aghaidh i gceart ar dheacrachtaí na foghraidheachta go dtí seo. Is beag sgoil 'na mbíonn r chaol sa gceart aca, ná ng, ná ch ná na leithreacha dúbalta (ll, nn), agus is minic na múinteoirí féin gach uile phioc chomh faillightheach leis na daltaí. Daltaí a tóigeadh le Béarla ní thabharfaidh siad na fuaimeanna sin leo go deo gan an-chuid teagaisg agus taithighe. Bheirtear fá deara, freisin, go mbíonn an Ghaedhilg lag tanaidhe agus dul an Bhéarla uirthe ina lán de na sgoltacha.

Níor mhór a thuigsint go mbíonn dúthchas ar leith ag gabháil le gach teangaidh agus dá réir sin go bhfuil a bhealach nádúrtha féin ag an nGaedhilgeoir le oidheam nó smaoineadh a chur i dtuigsint.

Ní féidir teacht ar an mbealach nádúrtha sin gan tréimhse réasúnta fada a chaitheamh san nGaedhealtacht agus san am gcéadna staidéar doimhin a dhéanamh ar litridheacht na Gaedhilge, go háithrid ar na leabhraí atá sgríobhtha ag cainnteoirí dúthchais an lae indiú.

Tá nós ag teacht chun cinn i gcuid de na sgoltacha .i. socrú a dhéanamh chun sgata maith de na daltaí a chur 'un na Gaedhealtachta gach bliadhain. Ba bhreágh an sgéal dá leathnuigheadh an nós sin amach ar na sgoltacha uilig, nó dá bhféadfaí gluaiseacht mhór a bhunú a mbéadh ina chuspóir aice an t-aos óg a chur tamall chuig an nGaedhealtacht sul má fhágann siad na meadhon-sgoltacha. Chuirfeadh sé sin an chloch mhullaigh ar an obair ar fad.

Tá ag éirghe go maith leis na lánchúrsaí, agus ag na Sgrúduighthe i Mí

Mheithimh, 1935, do thóig 78% de na buachaillí agus 87% de na cailíní páipéar an lán-chúrsa san Árd-Teistiméireacht; san Meadhon-Teistiméireacht do thóig 54% de na buachaillí agus 74% de na cailíní páipéar an lán-chúrsa. San Árd-Teistiméireacht fuair 98.7% de na cailíní Pas agus fuair 78% aca Onóracha ar an lán-chúrsa; fuair 99% de na buachaillí Pas agus fuair 78% aca Onóracha. San Meadhon-Teistiméireacht, lán-chúrsa, fuair 83.7% de na buachaillí Pas agus 35.3% aca Onóracha; fuair 87.6% de na cailíní Pas agus 38.7% aca Onóracha.

1935-6:—
Iarrataisí ar Roinn A	78
Iarrataisí ar Roinn B1	45
Iarrataisí ar Roinn B2	70

Bhí méadú, freisin, ar an líon páipéar a freagruigheadh i nGaedhilge.

Le roinnt bhliadhain anuas tá sé de ghnás ag cuid mhaith de na scoltacha drámaí Gaedhilge do thabhairt do na mic léighinn chun staidéar do dhéanamh ortha agus iad do léiriú, agus bhí a leithéid sin de dheaghthoradh ar an obair sin gur cheap an Roinn cigire sealadach chun timthireacht do dhéanamh agus chun treoir do thabhairt do bhainisteoirí agus do mhúinteoirí. Thug sé congnamh dhóibh chun cluichí feileamhnacha do thoghadh agus chun na deacreachtaí a bhain leis an léiriú do réidhteach.

Ná hábhair léighinn. — Do réir chosamhlachta is beag dúthracht a caithtear le foghraidheacht na nuadhtheangthach, Frainncis agus Gearmáinis ins na sgoltacha, agus is beag de na teangthacha sin a léightear taobh amuigh de'n téacs a bhíos dá léigheamh san ranng.

Ghníthear obair mhaith san Matamaitic i sgoltacha na mbuachaillí agus tá ag méadú ar an líon daltaí as na sgoltacha sin a thóigeas an Cúrsa Onórach san Árd-Teistiméireacht. I sgoltacha sin na gcailíní is beag athrú a tháinig de bharr na ngearr-chúrsaú san méid a bhaineas le modha múinte ná leis an méid oibre a ghníthear. I gcuid mhaith de na sgoltacha sin séard a ghníthear ná leanamhaint den lán-chúrsa san rang agus annsin tóigeann na daltaí páipéar an ghearr-chúrsa san sgrúdú.

Múintear an Stair agus an Tíreolaidheacht go maith i bhfromhór mór na sgoltach. Is minic, ámhthach, a gheibhtear amach ins na sgrúduighthe go mbíonn freagraí de ghlainmheabhair ag na daltaí sa Stair, agus is minic a chuirid féin giotaí beaga isteach a theasbáineas nach dtuigeann siad ar chor ar bith an stuif a bhíos de ghlain-mheabhair aca. I gcás na Tíreolaidheachta sé an taobh Matamaiticeach de'n ádhbhar is lugha a ndéantar cúram de ins na sgoltacha.

Tá bail an-mhaith ar theagasg na Laidne agus na Gréigise i gcuid de na sgoltacha. Is beag sgoil, ámhthach in a gcaithtear dúthracht mar budh cheart le Stair na Gréige ná le Stair na Róimhe, agus is annamh baintear an fheidhm cheart as an Stair ná as an litridheacht le saoghal na ndaoine san am sin do léiriú do na daltaí. Tá roinnt sgoltach nár thoisigh ar an Laidin go dtí le goirid; táid sin ag dul ar aghaidh go maith, ach amháin go luightear ro-mhór ar Ghramadaigh agus ar Cheapadóireacht ionnta agus ní deintear dóthain den Laidin a léigheamh.

Do réir chéadchodáin is mó de na cailíní ná de na buachaillí a thóigeas Eolaidheacht mar ádhbhar ins na sgoltacha. Formhór mór na gcailíní a thóigeas Eolaidheacht sé an Fearachas Tighe a thógaid, agus dár ndóigh sin mar is ceart é. Tá sé le tabhairt fá deara ar an obair ins na sgoltacha agus ar an bhfreagairt ins na sgrúduighthe go bhfuil faillighe dá dhéanamh le goirid anuas san saothar praitieeamhail.

Cé go múintear ceol go maith ina lán de na sgoltacha, go háithrid ins na Clochair, is beag dalta a thóigeas an Ceol mar ádhbhar ins na sgrúduighthe sgríobhtha. An beagán a tóigeas e eirigheann go rí-mhaith leo.

Tá an Roinn ag cuimhneamh le tamall ar athchóiriú do dhéanamh ar Chlár Oibre na Meadhon-Scol i gcaoi agus gur mhóide an rogha ádhbhar a bheadh ag na scoltacha, agus chun na Riaghalacha i gcoitchinne do shimpliú. Dála an scéil sin, do mhol an Roinn, i Mí Nodlag, 1935, neithe áirithe chun an clár do leasú, do Chumainn éagsamhla bainisteoirí agus múinteoirí, agus do hiarradh ortha a dtuairimí ina dtaoibh sin do chur in iúl.

Ceárd Oideachas. —Tháinig a thuillcadh fáis agus éifeachta san Oideachas leanúnach agus sa Cheárd-Oideachas ins an tSeisiún seo caithte 1934-5. Foscladh scoltachaí nua i n-áiteacha, agus i n-áiteacha eile rinneadh méadú ar na scoltachaí a bhí ann cheana. Cuireadh a thuilleadh múinteóir i geionn teagaisc—rud a b'éigean a dhéanamh le riar do'n fhás a tháinig ar na ranganna. Ceannuigheadh a thuilleadh feistis agus oirnéise scoile le h-aghaidh na scoltach san do réir mar bhí riachtanach. D'aindeoin a bhfuiltear a chur 'á dtógáil de scoltachaí nua, tá ceanntair ann gan aon scoil de'n chineál fós, agus tá na daoine ag iarraidh ar na Coistí GairmOideachais scoltachaí do chur ar fagháil ionnta. Tá tuigsint ag an bpobal i gcoitchinne anois ar a thábhachtaighe atá sé scéim ceart CeárdOideachais agus Oideachais leanúnaigh a bheith ar fagháil agus tá tuigsint aca freisin ar an sochar a thig as dóibh siúd atá ar lorg oibre agus do na daoine atá ag obair cheana. Tá iarraidh níos mó ag teacht ar an oideachas seo ins na ceanntair tuaithe; agus is maith céillidhe an obair atá dhá déanamh ag furmhór na gCoiste tuaithe leis an riachtanas a fhreastal. Furmhór na gCoiste, tá siad díbhfeirgeach dlúthasamhail; cuireann siad an tsuim cheart ins an obair atá faoi n-a stiúir, agus ní mór leó airgead do caitheamh ar scéimeanna a chuirfeadh an t-oideachas chun cinn mar ba cheart.

De ghnáth, bheir na Coistí seo roinnt mhaith fhial de scoláireachtaí chun na Gaedhealtachta, agus bheir a lán aca scoláireachtaí uatha chun na Scoltacha Comhnuighthe le h-aghaidh Tioghbhais. I gConndae na Gaillimhe agus i gConndae Luimnigh, tá scéimeanna scoláireacht ann chun mic léighinn tuaithe a chur chuig Ceárd-scoltacha na gCathrach, an áit a mbíonn áiseanna agus gléasaí nach mbéadh sa bhaile aca. Obair an-tábhachtach í sin, agus ba chóir féachaint le n-a leitheid a dhéanamh i n-áiteacha eile. I gConndae Chille Dara agus ins an Trian Theas de Thiobrad Árann cuireadh mic léighinn as ceanntair chúil chuig scoltacha ina bhfaigheadh siad oideachas ní b'aoirde ná b'fhéidir a thabhairt sa bhaile dóibh. I gConndae Mhuigh Eó rinneadh a thairgsint le déidheanaighe go gcuirfidhe ceithre scoláireachtaí ar bun chun congnamh do thabhairt do na mic léighinn ins na scoltacha le dul le printíseacht i n-obair innealltóireacht gluaisteáin; agus i gConndaethe eile, freisin, bhíothas ag lorg eolais fá scéimeanna de'n tsaghas chéadna.

Ins na Conndae-bhuirgí agus ins na bailte móra tá eagar maith curtha ar na Cúrsaí leanúnacha. Na Scéimeanna Oideachais atá ceaptha ins na h-áiteacha san, fágann siad cuid mhór cúrsáí ag na mic léighinn le rogha a bhaint asta; agus bíonn na cúrsaí sin orreamhnach do'n Cheanntar, maidir le h-oideachas i gcoitchinne agus le h-oideachas Tionnscalach. Mar gheall ar Chúrsaí Leanúnacha atá oireamhnach a bheith curtha ar fagháil ins na cathracha, agus fós mar gheall ar na scoltacha nua a cuireadh ar bun, tá líon na mac léighinn ag méadú go mór mar is léir ó na figiúirí le h-aghaidh na bliadhna 1934-35.

Ta scoltacha i mórán áiteacha, agus mar gheall ar iad bheith ró-bheag agus mar gheall ar laighead na múinteóir, ní féidir go leór cúrsa oireamhnach bheith ionnta. Ins na ceanntair tuaithe go mór atá sin amhlaidh, ach tá furmhór na gCoiste Gairm-Oideachais ag brath féacháil leis an deacracht sin a réidhteach. Is maith an comhartha a lán tairgsint bheith déanta ag na Coistí chun scoltacha dhá sheomra nó scoltacha thrí seomra a chur ar fagháil i n-áiteacha tuaithe. Is deacair múinteóirí oilte foirbhthe d'fhagháil chun Tuaith-Eolaidheacht agus ádhbhair eile de'n chineál sin do mhúineadh. Ar an adhbhar sin tá cúrsaí curtha ar bun ag an Roinn chun múinteóirí d'oileamhaint ins na h-adhbhair léighinn sin.

Maidir le cúrsaí leanúnacha a bhíonn ar siubhal i rith an lae, tá ag éirghe go maith leo. Ins na scoltacha nua sa Chaisleán Nua agus i n-Ospidéal Ghleann Áine i gCo. Luimnighe, cuireadh ar bun cúrsaí a d'oirfeadh go speisialta do'n tuaith; agus cuireadh píosaí talaimh ar fagháil chun cleachtadh na h-oibre féin a thabhairt do na mic léighinn mar aon leis an gcleachtadh sa tsaotharlainn agus leis an teagase eile a bhí le fagháil ins na ranga ar chúrsaí Tuaith-eolaidheachta. An clár oibre atá i bhfeidhm sa scoil nua a foscladh i mBuidheachair, an seisiún seo caithte, tá sé curtha i n-oireamhaint go speisialta do'n tuaith, freisin. Bhain na mic léighinn úsáid mhaith as an bpíosa talaimh atá ag gabháil leis an scoil chun glasraí agus barraí gráin do chur ar fagháil. I nDún Seachlainn tugadh teagasc i gcoinneáil éanlaithe agus i gcoinneáil beach—rud a chuir go mór le h-éifeacht an chúrsa le h-aghaidh na tuaithe. Tá roinnt mhaith talaimh ag an scoil seo, agus tá cáil ag éirghe uirthi mar gheall ar an méid cineál barr a baintear de'n talamh san. An scoil atá i n-Ath Fhirdiadh i gCo. Lughmhaidh, tá sí ag obair go maith agus bíonn mic léighinn go leor le fagháil aici.

Roimhe seo níor bh'fhuras cailíní fhagháil le freastal a dhéanamh ar na ranganna lán-aimsire i rith an lae le h-aghaidh cúrsaí Tioghbhais; ach tá an deacracht sin ag imtheacht do réir a chéile.

Táthar ag tabhairt isteach modhanna nua chun cabhruighthe leis na mic léighinn ins na scoltacha is fearr eagar. I dtéarma na Cásca sa bhliadhain 1934-5, rinneadh a leithéid seo i gCeárd-Scoil Ráth Maonais. Na mic léighinn a raibh an t-árd-chúrsa leanúnach i dTráchtáil ar siubhal aca, thug na múinteóirí leo iad go bhfaca siad an obair a bhí ar siubhal i gcuid de na foirgnimh mhóra Tionnscail agus Tráchtála. Tugadh iad chuig na h-áiteacha so leanas:—Scéala Eireann, Messrs. Willwood, Messrs. Jacob and Co., an t-Irish Independent, Monarchain Tobac Mhessrs. Wills', agus Monarchain Gallúnaigh Mhessrs. Lever. Is mór a chuidigheas cuairteanna mar sin le tréineáil na scoláire; agus, aon áit ar féidir é, is ceart cuairteanna de'n chineál a chur ar bun—go h-áirighthe i n-ionaid i n-a bhfuil aon tionnscal tábhachtach ar bun.

De thoradh socruighthe a rinneadh leis an Príomh-Oide i Scoil na Tráchtála i gCathair Chorcaighe, tugadh buidheanta de na mic léighínn as an scoil sin ar cuairt chun na leabharlainne.

Ins na cathracha agus ins na bailte móra is fiú suim a chur i n-oibriú na mBureau Feadhmanais; óir, do réir na dtuarascabháil atá ar fagháil, tá méadú ag teacht gach bliadhain ar an méid postaí atá le fagháil ag scoláirí oilte thríid an meadhon san. Deir eigire amháin go bhfuil "obair antábhachtach dá déanamh sa tslighe seo i gConndae Choreaighe." I n-a lán áiteach i n-ar cuireadh gluaiseachtaí tionnscalacha ar bun, bhí na Príomh-Oifigigh Feidhmiúcháin agus na h-Ard-Mhaighistrí ar na daoine ba mhó a chuir suim sna gluaiseachtaí sin agus a ba mhó a thug congnamh uatha.

Is léir ó thuarascabhála na gcigirí gur hárduigheadh caighdeán an teagaisg i rith an tSeisiuin 1934-35, go háirithe sna Ranganna leanúna lae. Cuirtear ina leith seo múinteoirí níos fearr cáilíocht agus oileamhaint a bheith á gceapadh, an chóir scoile agus saoráidí na scoile go generálta a bheith níos fearr, na múinteoirí a bheith níos cúramaighe ag ullamhú na hoibre, agus na daltaí a bheith ag freastal níos féilteamhla. Tá tagairt déanta ag na cigirí go léir dó seo. Ní amháin sna bailte móra ach sna hionaid níos lugha ná sin mar atá le fáil i gContae Chorcaighe, i gContae Mhuigheó agus i gContae Shligigh níorbh annamh na daltaí go léir i láthair an lá bhí an cigire ar cuairt ann, agus is iomdha áit a raibh meán-tinnreamh de 90% agus os a chionn sin ann ar feadh an tSeisiuin. Gríosann an freastal riaghalta fiú an gnáth-mhúinteoir chun breis dúthrachta a chaitheamh leis an obair.

Tá tuarascabháil ghenarálta ann go bhfuil múinteoireacht mhaith éifeachtach dhá dhéanamh sna hábhair obair láimhe sna ranganna lae agus sna ranganna tráthnóna.

An teagase a tugadh i dTigheas bhí sé go maith éifeachtach arís.

Sna scoltacha fá'n dtuaith ní tugtar dóthain aire do chócaireacht ar theine mhóna. Ba cheart gach dícheall a dhéanamh chun a mholadh do na daltaí teine mhóna a úsáid le haghaidh cócaireachta, go háirithe sna ceanntracha ina ndeintear bunáite na cócaireachta sa mbaile ar theine mhóna.

Sa mbeagán scoltacha a bhfuil múinteoirí cáilighthe re tuaitheoluíocht ionnta, múineadh an t-ábhar sin go maith. Is léir ó'n difridheacht atá idir an obair a deintear in áiteacha seachas a chéile nach foláir giota maith talmhan a úsáid le haghaidh curadóireachta.

De thoradh na gCúrsaí Samhraidh a chuir an Roinn ar bun tá an ghleacaidheacht anois ar churriculum furmhór na scol leanúna lae.

Tá feabhas—cidh mall—ag teacht ar obair na Gaedhilge i scéimeanna Oideachais Ghairme Beatha. Bhí sé sin le tabhairt fá deara go minic i geaitheamh an tSeisiuin 1934-35.

Tá toradh cinnte le feiceál cheana ar an rialachán atá i bhfeidhm nach mór do mhúinteoirí Tráchtála, Eoluíochta, Tighis agus Ealadhna labhairt na Gaedhilge a bhieth go maith aca sara bhféadfar iad a bhuan-cheapadh ina bpostanna.

Deir na Cigirí ina dtuarascabhála gur léir go bhfuil labhairt na Gaedhilge lasmuigh den mhúinteoireacht ag dul ar aghaidh. I gcuid de na scoltacha lasmuigh den Ghaedhealtacht ní labhrann na daltaí ach an Ghaedhilg nuair a bhíd ag súgradh ag sos an mheadhoin lae. Dúthracht agus dul 'un cinn na múinteoirí a thug an deaghobair seo chun críche. Tá go leór múinteoirí eile ann a bhfuil a ndóthain Gaedhilge aca le bheith páirteach sa ngluaiseacht seo, ach nach bhfaca fós gur breágh an modh múinte é seo taobh amuigh d'obair na scoile agus gur féidir an-dul ar aghaidh a dhéanamh ar an dóigh seo.

Is beag Scéim Oideachais Ghairme Beatha anois ann nach bhfuil feidhm dá baint as an nGaedhilg innti maidir le saoghal agus caitheamh aimsire na ndaltaí.

Tugann furmhór na gCoistí Oideachais Ghairme Beatha roinnt mhaith scoláireachtaí Gaedhealtachta. De thoradh na scoláreacht seo chaith ós cionn 450 dalta mí sa nGaedhealtacht i rith an tSamhraidh 1935. Is mór an rath ar na Scéimeanna na Scoláireachtaí Gaedhealtachta, mar cuireann siad cainteoirí Gaedhilge ar fáil don aos óg agus is mór is fiú gach cainteoir aca sin ina cheanntar féin leis an nGaedhilg a chur ar aghaidh i gcúrsaí saoghail na ndaoine.

Nuair a bhí na Meastacháin dá gcur ós comhair an Tighe agam anuraidh dubhras gur cuireadh Buan-Choiste Scoile ar bun chun comhairle a thabhairt maidir le Scoil Ealadhna na hArd-Chathrach. Ina theanta sin rinne an Coiste infhiúcadh cúramach ar na curricula atá ag Scoltacha Ealadhna tíortha eile agus ar riachtanaisí na tíre seo i gcúrsaí Oideachais Ealadhna. Nuair a bhí na fiosrúcháin sin críochnuighthe ag an gCoiste chuireadar Tuarascabháil fá mo bhráid dhá mholadh ath-chóirin iomlán a dhéanamh ar Scoil Ealadhna na hArd-Chathrach.

Deirtear sa Tuarascabháil gurb é tuairim chinnte an Choiste go raibh sé thar am scoil don náisiún in ionad scoil don chathair a dhénamh den Scoil Ealadhna, agus nár mhór, chun go bhféadfaí an fheidhm cheart a bhaint as an Scoil, Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealadhna a dhéanamh de a bhéarfadh teastais amach i gceithre príomhscoltacha:—

(a) Gréasa i dTionnscal,

(b) Péintéireacht,

(d) Rionnaidheacht agus Maisiú.

Mholadar na trí scoil tosaigh a ghléasadh amach láithreach ach gan an Scoil Rionnaidheachta agus Maisighte a ghléasadh go mbeadh eolas de bharr taithighe againn ó na trí cinn eile.

Mhol an Coiste freisin an Coláiste nua Ealadhna do chur fá stiúradh an Ard-mháistír atá anois ann, agus ollamh agus príomh-chongantóir a bheith ag gach ceann de na ceithre scoltacha. Moladh post lán-aimsire a dhéanamh de phost an Ollamhan le Gréasa agus dualgaisí leasárdmháistir a chur air ina theanta sin. Postanna páirt-aimsire a bheadh cead ag hollamhain eile agus bheadh ag na gach Ollamh aca leanamhaint dá shaothar tuistigheachta féin i gcaoi go mbeadh aige mar mhúinteoir úghdarás Ealadhna nach mbíodh ag na Máistirí Ealadhna a ceaptaí roimhe seo.

Ta glactha agam leis na molta seo agus tá obair an ath-chóirighthe ar siubhal dá réir. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh an chéad Scoil díobh seo ag obair i nDeire Foghmhair, 1936, agus go mbeidh prospectus an Choláiste nua le fáil fá Bhealtaine. Cúrsa trí mblian a bhéas ann le haghaidh an Teastais. Ní mór d'iarrthóirí na cúrsaí teagaise a fhreastal go féilteamhail agus na Scrúduighthe ceanntseisiúin riachtanacha a sheasamh sara bhfuighid an Teastas.

Tá an Coiste ag gabháil anois do scrúdú nithe eile bhaineas leis an gColáiste Náisiúnta Ealadhna a chomhghléasadh. Táthar le iarrachtaí a dhéanamh le ceangal a dhéanamh idir an teagase a tugtar ins na scoltacha eile Ealadhna sa tSaorstát, agus chun oileamhaint a sholáthar i geúrsaí Ealadhna a dhéanfas maitheas d'obair na Meadhon-Scol agus na gCeárd-Scol.

An Coiste Eadar-roinne a bhí ag gabháil do cheist Aois fágála na Scoile a árdú thugadar tuarascabháil d'aon aonta uatha. Toise go raibh achmaireacht den tuarascabhail seo ar na páipéirí nuachta cheana ní gádh dom an mion-eolas a thabhairt annseo.

'Se tuairim a bhí ag an gCoiste tar éis an scéil go léir a bhreithniú nach ceart acis fágála na scoile a árdú thar mar is gádh i láthair na huaire go fóill, ach amháin i gcúpla ceanntar a bheadh oireamhnach chun triail a bhaint asta ar dtús. Chuige sin táthar tar éis roimh-fhiosruighthe a dhéanamh agus nuair a bhéas gach ullamhú riachtanach déanta cuirfear na trialacha a mhol an Coiste i bhfeidhm.

Scoileanna Ceartughcháin agus Scoileanna Saothair.—Tá 54 de na scoltacha seo ann: 2 Scoil Cheartughcháin (ceann aca do bhuachaillí agus ceann eile do chailíní); 32 Scoil Saothair (11 cheann do bhuachaillí sinnsir agus 5 cinn do bhuachaillí sóisir deich mbliadhan nó fá n-a bhun); 35 scoil do chailíní, agus scoil measctha (do chailíní agus do bhuachaillí sóisir).

Bhí 81 duine ar coimeád sna Scoltacha Ceartughcháin i ndeire na scoilbhliadhna 1934, agus 96 sa mbliadhain 1935—sin 15 duine de bhreis. Do cuireadh níos mó daoine isteach ionnta sa mbliadhain 1935, freisin; cuireadh 28 isteach sa mbliadhain 1934 agus 45 sa mbliadhain 1935. A mhalairt sin de thuarascabháil atá ar na Scoltacha Saothair; do thuit an méid a cuireadh isteach ó 748 sa mbliadhain 1934 go 681 sa mbliadhain 1935; agus do thuit an méid a bhí ar coimeád ó 6,420 go 6,227 sna bliadhanta céadna. Sé an fáth is mó a gcuirtear daoine isteach sna scoltacha sin go mbíonn siad dealbh bocht agus nach mbíonn aoinne aca thabharfadh aire dhóibh; ach do réir deallraimh tá uimhir na ndaoine a cuirtear isteach toisc coir do bheith déanta aca ag dul i méid.

Múintear ádhbhair den Eolaidheacht Tighis i scoltacha na gcailíní; múintear feirméaracht agus gáirneoireacht agus ceárda éagsamhla do na buachaillí; agus déantar gach iarracht an obair oireamhnach do sholáthar do na daltaí chun a mbeatha do thuilleamh nuair bítear á scaoileadh as an scoil.

Tá an Coimisiún a cuireadh ar bun go luath sa mbliadhain 1934 chun Córas na Scol Ceartughcháin agus na Scol Saothair d'infhiúchadh, tá sé ag cóiriú a thuarascabhála fá láthair, agus táthar ag súil go mbeidh an tuarascabháil sin ar fagháil gan ró-mhoill.

An Músaeum Náisiúnta.—D'éirigh go maith agus go han-rathamhail le obair an Mhúsaeum Náisiúnta i rith na bliadhna atá fá léir-mheas againn. Ní hamháin go raibh rath ar obair an ghnáth-dhíoghlama, agus ar an athchóiriú a rinneadh ar an gcóras oibre, agus ar an iarracht atá á dhéanamh chun obair an Mhúsaeum do chongbháil ar chóimhchéim leis an obair a atá ar siubhal ag náisiuin eile, ach d'éirigh go rathmhar leis an obair a chuir an Músaeum ar bun ar fud na tuaithe.

Tá aidhmeanna móra beartuighthe ag Oifig na n-Oibreacha Puiblidhe chun Teach ionadaidhe an Rí do chur i gcóir chun cuid de na rudaí d'oirfeadh don teach sin d'aistriú ón Músaeum agus do chur i gcoimeád ann—rud a d'fhóirfeadh go mór ar an gcumhangracht slighe atá sa teach atá i Sráid Chill Dara.

Tiocfaidh de thoradh ar an aistriú sin gur féidir na teasbáintaisí do leagadh amach i seomraí do réir Ré, chun go bhféadfar an fhorbairt a tháinig ar an gcultúr ó ré go ré den stair d'fheicsint go soiléir, in ionad na rudaí do chur ar teasbáint do réir feidhme nó úsáide, mar do-ghnítí roimhe seo.

Do frítheadh a lán rudaí do Roinn na Sean-iarsmaí Eireannacha, agus do frítheadh rudaí, freisin, don Roinn Ealadhan agus Tionnscail agus do Roinn na Luibh agus na mBeothach go raibh fáilte rómpa. Tháinig an bhreis deontas-i-gcabhair do vótáil an tOireachtas an bhliain airgeadais seo caithte, tháinig sé díreach in am chun an Músaeum do chur ag feidhmiú ar an gcuma bhí ceaptha dhó.

Na tochaltáin mhóra do rinneadh go healadhanta agus go riaghalta in áiteanna éagsamhla ar fud na tíre fá'n Mion-Scéim Fóithne ar Dhíomhaointeas b'iad ba bhuan le furmhór na rudaí a fuarthas do Roinn na Seaniarsmaí Eireannacha. Tá cóir bhailiughcháin na sean-iarsmaí sin ag dul i bhfeabhas ó ló go ló, agus is é an díograis saothair agus an cúram atá á dhéanamh ag lucht stiúrtha an Mhúsaeum díobh is fáth leis an bhfeabhas sin, mar is ar éigin is féidir a rádh go bhfaghtar iarsma ar bith anois nach bhfaghann siad eolas ina thaoibh.

Agus admhuigheann siad go buidheach beannachtach gur mór ar fad an congnamh a gheibheann siad ó na Gárdaí Síothchána. Ní mór a admháil, freisin, go bhfaghthar cuid mhaith de na sean iarsmaí tré aireachas na n-innealltóirí atá ag obair do Bhórd Soláthair an leictreachais.

Do frítheadh a lán luibh-iarsmaí, freisin, do Roinn na Luibh agus na mBeothach.

Tar éis an cnuasach d'ath-chóiriú b'é an rud ba mhó spéis ar fad b'fhéidir, ná oscailt na rannóige seo ina bhfuil na hiarsmaí ó ghluaiseacht Saoirseachta na hEireann. Is féidir do dhuine tuairim na ndaoine ar an rannóig seo do mheas ón méid mhóir díobh a théigheas ann chun na hiarsmaí d'fheicsint. Tá an cnuasach so ag dul i méid ó ló go ló, agus ní foláir breis slighe do dhéanamh dho. Rinneadh slighe dho i Roinn na SeanIarsmaí Eireannacha, ach ó's cosamhail go leanfar de chur leis táthar ag súil go bhfaghfar áit do i dteach éigin níos oireamhnaighe i mball éigin eile den chathair.

Rud eile a rinneadh i rith na bliadhna a bhfuil mór-thábhacht ann is eadh an obair a rinne Coiste Taighdthe na Ré Ceathardha in Eirinn. Tá an coiste sin ag obair ar dhluth-chómhar leis an Músaeum Náisiúnta. Thárla go dtáinig portaigh áirithe i seilbh an Mhúsaeum le déidheannaighe, agus do rinneadh bun de na rudaí a frítheadh sna portaigh sin. Do rinneadh mionchuardach i ndachad éigin ionad seandálaidheachta agus i gcúig cinn fhichead ionaid tlachteolaidheachta agus seanluibheolaidheachta chun ádhbhar d'fhagháil le taithbheach do dhéanamh ar pháilín planndaí ionnus go bhféadfaí scéim mhuinighneach chroiniceach do cheapadh le n-a bhfaghfaí eolus ar na cora a tháinig ar aoráid, ar luibheanna, ar thlacht agus ar chúrsaí seandálaidheachta na tíre le linn gach ré dá dtáinig ó árd-ré an leac-oighridh anuas.

Notice taken that 20 Deputies were not present; House counted and 20 Deputies being present,

Tomás O Deirg

Maidir le cúrsaí oideachais, is ar éigin is gábha a rádh go dtugadh eolus iomlán ar gach Roinn de Mhúsaeum do na fiosruightheoirí iomadamhla a tháinig ann; agus, i gcaoi agus go neartóchtaí ar chomhar an Mhúsaeum leis na scoltacha, do chuir an Roinn cearcalach amach go dtí Ard-Mháigistrí agus Bainisteoirí na Scol 'ghá iarraidh ortha caoi a cheapadh do na leanbhaí chun cuairt do thabhairt ar an Músaeum Náisiúnta agus ar thighthe eile den tsórt chéadna in Ath Cliath ina mbeadh eolus le fagháil aca.

De bharr saothair Bhrainnse na bhFoillsiúchán tá uimhir na leabhar Gaedhilge, idir théics-leabhair agus leabhair léightheóireachta, ag dul i méid go tapaidh. Tá téics-leabhair ar áireamh, ar Ailgéabar, ar Chéimseatain, ar Cheól, ar Stair agus ar Thíreoluíocht na hEireann, ar Stair na hEorpa, ar Fhuagháil, ar Laidin, ar Ghréigis, agus ar Thuatheoluíocht, foillsighthe fé scéim na Roinne cheana féin, agus táthar ag ullmhú téics-leabhair ar Fhisic, ar Ghramadach agus Ceapadóireacht na Laidne agus na Gréigise, ar Ghramadach na Nua-Ghaedhilge, ar Chéimseatain Choimhóirnidhtheach, ar Cheól, ar Eolaidheacht, agus tuilleadh leabhar at Stair na hEireann, leabhair ar theagase creidimh agus ar chruthughadh an chreidimh agus eagráin scoile do théics-leabhair Laidne agus Gréigise.

Táthar ag dul ar aghaidh go seasmhach le leabhra Gaedhilge seachas na téics-leabhair.

Tá suas le 1,000 scríbhinní i mbuncheapadóireacht breithnighthe ag an Roinn Oideachais ó cuireadh an scéim seo ar bun i 1926; agus do chuir an Roinn níos mó ná dhá chéad leabhar dá n-aistriú.

Bhí cuid mhaith den bhun-adhbhar neamh-oireamhnach agus b'eigean é do chur ar ais chun na n-ughdar; ach is cóir a rádh nár diúltuigheadh d'aon scríbhinn agus nár glacadh le haon scríbhinn gan léirmheas fhagháil air ó bheirt ar a laighead; agus gur léigh triúr nó ceathrar cuid mhaith aca sul a tugadh breith ortha.

Do chuir an Roinn trí iomaidheachta i n-aistriú go Gaedhilge ar bun; agus do bronnadh duaiseanna ar na haistriúcháin a b'fhearr; agus bhí sé de thoradh ar na hiomaideachta sin go raibh sé ar a chumas na Roinne tuilleadh leabhar do chur dá n-aistriú go hiomlán. Tá 240 láimhscríbhinní ar láimh ag an Roinn fé láthair. Díobh siúd tá 130 ag na clódóirí agus 110 dá n-ullamhughadh do na clódóirí.

Rudaí eile atá déanta fén Scéim: a iarraidh ar scríbhneoirí Gaedhilge comh-oibriughadh leis an Roinn chun leabhair bheaga a bheadh oireamhnach do leanbhaí óga do chur ar fagháil. Foillsigheadh ocht geinn déag de na leabhair beaga so go dtí seo, tá tuilleadh aca á n-ullmhughadh. Tugadh duais £20 ar an gcnuasacht is fearr de Shean-fhocla is de Shean-Ranna Chonnacht.

Tá áthas ar an Roinn gur féidir a rádh go bhfuil méadughadh ag teacht i n-aghaidh an lae ar an uimhir léightheoirí, ní amháin ins na scoileanna, ach i measc na ndaoine i gcoitchinne. Díoladh breis agus 250,000 cóip de sna leabhra a foillsigheadh fén Scéim. Is mó i bhfad an méid leabhar Gaedhilge a léightear in sna scoileanna, go mór mór in sna Meádhon-Scoileanna ná mar léightí cúig bliadhain ó shoin. Mar adubhrathas cheana, is féidir le múinteoirí mórán do dhéanamh chun suim na scoláirí do mhúscailt i léightheoireacht na Gaedhilge, agus tá a lán 'a dhéanamh san. Tugadh roinnt leabhar i n-aisce anuiridh do lucht ceannais na mbun-scoil sa nGaedhealtacht agus tá súil ag an Aire go gcuirfidh na scoláirí sin spéis mhór i litridheacht na Gaedhilge nuair bheidh a gcuid scolaidheachta thart. Cuirfidh an obair seo atá ar siubhal ag an Roinn Oideachais a coin d'adhbhar léightheoireachta ar fagháil do'n phobal.

Is cuibhe tagairt do dhéanamh annso don obair atá tá dhéanamh ag an gCoiste Téarmuidheachta do chuir an Roinn ar bun. Tá sé leabhrán foillsighthe cheana de bharr saothair an Choiste'na bhfuil aistriughadh déanta go Gaedhilg ar théarmaí teicniceacha a bhaineann le Stair agus Tíreolaidheacht; Gramadach agus Litridheacht; Eoluidheacht; Ceol, agus Tráchtáil. Táthar ag súil go bhfoillseochar ar ball tuilleadh leabhar den tsórt céadna, 'na mbeidh téarmaí cluichí, gleacaidheachta, dlí, dochtúireacht, agus rl. Tá an chéad leabhrán (Stair agus Tíreoluíocht) as cló le tamall, agus táthar chun é mhéadughadh go mór agus é ath-chur amach 'n-a dhá leabhrán, ceann do Stair agus ceann do Thíreoluíocht. Tá an ceann nua fé Stair ar fagháil anois.

Mr. Dillon

I suppose the Minister expects congratulations on a record long-distance run, but is there any legislative assembly in the world, and I do not exclude darkest Africa, in which a Minister would get up and address the House for two hours in the certain knowledge that not three Deputies out of the whole House understood a word that he said? In my respectful submission to this House, such a procedure is reducing the legislative assembly of this country to a complete and howling farce.

Mr. T. Kelly

Does the Deputy suggest that there are only three Deputies who understand the Irish language?

Mr. Dillon

I suggest that Deputy Kelly does not know it, anyway.

Mr. T. Kelly

You can suggest that and be right, but you cannot suggest that in regard to the majority of the Fianna Fáil Party. Most of them know it. Better stick to the truth.

Mr. Dillon

Let me add to that, that heretofore, when this performance has been gone through, the Minister has circulated a translation of what he proposed to say. On this occasion a piebald document has been placed at my disposal, the first five pages of which are in English, the next ten pages of which are in Irish; that is followed by 12 pages in English. There are then five pages in Irish, one page in English, followed by two pages in Irish; there are then 21 pages in English, and then there are three pages in Irish. That in itself does not constitute a very helpful document, but when the Minister proceeded to read this document for the edification of the House, I discovered that he was hopping long paragraphs. I do not mind hopping with him in English or Irish, but if I am required to translate from English into Irish and then catch the Minister hopping, it is more than I can do, and I do not believe the Chair knows, or the official reporters know, or this House knows, what part of this document the Minister has read and what part he has not read—and I do not think even the Minister knows. There has been no method, no system. I have no doubt he has arranged with somebody to follow him carefully and draw a pencil through the parts he hopped over. I say that such a procedure is reducing this House to a farce and should not be allowed. I directed the Minister's attention to the situation at an early stage in his speech and he gave me to understand that he had translated such parts of the speech as he thought necessary to translate, and that he had not bothered to circulate a translation of the rest of it. The House must judge of that conduct, but I think it is deplorable.

Now, there is a long part of his speech devoted to some kind of report that he has received from the inspectors on the subject of teaching through the medium of Irish in the primary schools. No translation of his observations in that regard has been furnished to the Opposition, and how far he has dealt in his statement with the only, or the principal, grievance arising from that, I am not in a position to say. I direct the attention of the House, however, to words used by the Minister on the 4th April, 1935, when speaking on this Estimate last year; and in that connection I direct the attention of the House to the fact that when the Minister replies to the debate on his Estimate he replies in English—the plain fact being that he could not reply in Irish. That is the plain and unadulterated fact. I know, and everybody in the House knows, that every official in the Department of Education has had a hand in the preparation of that speech, and it is trotted out here now as the Minister's patriotic contribution and the Gaelic League will go into rhapsodies over it. We all know, however, that when the Minister has to reply, impromptu, to a debate, he would no more be able to compose a document of that kind standing on his feet than he could fly. Everybody in the House knows that, and everybody here knows that this codology is gone on with for the purpose of fooling a few innocents up and down the country. However, the Minister, speaking in English at the conclusion of the debate a year ago, used the following language (Col. 2009, Vol. 55, Official Debates):

"It is agreed, I think, by all who are interested in education that a position can be reached within a comparatively short time when all the work in all the schools, where the teachers are capable of doing work through Irish and the pupils have sufficient knowledge of it to enable them to follow the work and profit by it, can be done through Irish."

Now, I ask the House to note that, on that occasion, the Minister deliberately said that one of the essential conditions of teaching through the medium of Irish is that the pupils have sufficient knowledge of it to enable them to follow the work and profit by it. The same Minister, however, who tells us that, has ordained in all the primary schools in this country, except certain specially excepted schools in the City of Dublin, that the infant class will be taught exclusively through the medium of Irish: the fact being that you have infant children who have never heard a word of Irish in their lives walking into a class room for the first time in their lives, separated from their family circle for the first time in their lives, and being addressed by a stranger, who is supposed to familiarise the children with their new conditions, in a language which the children do not understand.

If I suggested to the Deputies in this House that the children of Dublin should be sent to the primary schools and there addressed exclusively in Greek or Armenian, there would be an outcry. People would be amazed. But to a child speaking English as his native language, Armenian is no more remote from that childs native language than is the Irish language, and the result of that is that Irish is becoming, in this country, something closely approximating to a scourge and a symbol of tyranny. It is a source of amazement to me, Sir, that everything that Fianna Fáil put their hands to seems to wither and turn to corruption. I remember the time when anyone who was interested in Irish was an enthusiast for it. Anyone who spoke Irish or who learned Irish was proud to display his knowledge; anxious to spread the language and anxious to inspire in his neighbours the enthusiasm he himself felt. Can any rational man say now that everyone who speaks Irish in this country is an enthusiast? Would it not be much truer to say that the majority of people speaking Irish in this country now are job-hunters, trusting to God that they will steal an advantage, by being able to say "Go mbeannuigh Dia dhuit," over a better man who cannot say it? Does any sane man in this country believe that you can save the Irish language through the instrumentality of the place-hunters who are at present disgracing the Irish movement? Everybody who loves the Irish language, or who has any regard for it, knows perfectly well that, far from preserving the language and encouraging it, such persons as I refer to are calculated to bring it into odium and contempt, and the fact is that those people who did give hard work and enthusiasm to the language are beginning almost to be ashamed to admit that they are language enthusiasts, because language enthusiasm to-day brings one into the strange company of those who consider job enthusiasm and language enthusiasm to be synonymous.

I believe we ought to revive the language in this country. I sometimes doubt now whether the thing is possible. I think so much damage has been done in the last three or four years that it is possible that the language is done for and that we will never revive it. Still, however, I believe it is worth trying for, and the only way we can hope to revive the language, as I have often pointed out before in this House and in the country, is to make people want the language, and unless you can make them want the language the language is dead. You cannot, however, make the people of this country want anything by forcing it down their throats against their will, and the vast majority of parents in this country do not want their infant children bewildered and bemused in the infant standards by being addressed in a language that they do not understand. The vast majority of rational people in this country revolt from a suggestion that infant children going into the schools should be instructed exclusively through the medium of a language not one syllable of which they understand. I have always hoped that by teaching Irish in the schools we might eventually arrive at a stage when instruction might be profitably imparted to children through the medium of Irish in the higher classes. I did suggest to the Minister on a previous occasion that he ought to take his courage in his hands and strike out on a bold new course and reduce the age of compulsory attendance in national schools to 13 and start at least on the business of providing free secondary education to the people of this country. One might reasonably hope that if children were taught Irish and the elements of education through the medium of a language which they understood, up to 13 years of age, they would be able to imbibe higher education in a secondary school during their fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth years, through the medium of the Irish language. Unless they were able effectively to absorb general education through the language, I say it is a crime against the young people of this country to be attempting to educate them through the medium of Irish. Until you have first brought the child up to a standard of proficiency in which it can profitably receive the education offered to it through the medium of Irish, it is a crime to deprive it of the education to which it is entitled, and to leave it semi-ignorant because it is unable to derive the benefit that it ought to derive from the education provided for it, that education being offered to it in a language which it imperfectly understands and very frequently by teachers who are imperfectly qualified to impart education to that child through the medium of Irish.

We have been told that so many teachers possess the Ard-teastas. I have got the Ard-teastas, and I would like to see myself teaching a class of children through the medium of Irish. There is not an experienced teacher, or an individual in this House, who is closely acquainted with primary education who will seriously maintain that more than six out of ten teachers in this country are qualified to impart instruction in the primary schools through the medium of Irish as it ought to be imparted, and I challenge the suggestion that there is more than 40 per cent. of the children in the sixth standard, outside the Gaeltacht, who are competent to derive the fullest measure of benefit that they ought to derive from the education that is offered to them through the medium of Irish. I venture to assert that there is not a single infant child, outside those who are born in Irish-speaking households in the Gaeltacht or Galltacht, and there are such households in the Galltacht, who can get any benefit whatever from instruction imparted through the medium of Irish in the infant classes. I say it is an outrage on the children of this country that a system of dragooning those in the infant classes in a language not one syllable of which they understand, should be continued.

Every rational man in this country outside the Minister's Department has the same view, but up to six months ago no one outside this House had the courage to come out and say so. At last, certain individuals have had the courage to come out and say so frankly, and on an occasion which the Minister will remember he heard, I think to his astonishment, the present system of imparting Irish to the children described as making martyrs of the young people of this generation for the purpose of preserving the Irish language. The tragedy of it is that the martyrs are being made and that no advantage is accruing from their martyrdom. The children are being denied the education which they ought to get, and far from helping or promoting the language, the language is withering under the system that is existing. Now, on the subject of primary schools, in my opinion a clear and unanswerable case, which the Minister for Education has never attempted to answer, can be made at least in regard to the infant classes.

I come now to the secondary schools, and there I am satisfied that a large number of children are being grossly victimised by being required to accept instruction through the medium of Irish when they are not able themselves adequately to absorb it because they do not know Irish well enough. I know the stock reply is that the schools that are called A.1 schools, that is schools where all the instruction is given through the medium of Irish, have the highest percentage of marks, the highest percentage of honours and the highest percentage of passes in the examinations. But the Minister does not tell this House that there is a different standard of marking for the pupils in the schools where all subjects are taught through the medium of Irish from the standard which obtains for the pupils of schools where subjects are taught through the language which the children understand. Though the Minister admits the following fact, it is not always adverted to. The fact is this: that there is a bonus of so many marks per cent. for any pupil who answers his paper through the medium of Irish, whether he answers it well or ill, and so there can be no valid comparison made between the results coming out of what are described as A.1 schools and the schools run primarily not for propaganda purposes but for the purpose of educating the children committed to their care.

Is it not an astonishing thing that a time should come in this country when the language movement could be associated in the minds of the people with the deprivation of children of the education which they ought to be given to equip them for the battle of life? How can any man be so obscurantist as not to realise that that is building up in the country a vested hatred of the Irish language which will some day make impossible the task of the Irish revival altogether. How can anybody who had experience of the language movement, say, 15 years ago, and sees what the language movement is to-day, not realise that what has happened in the last five or ten years has gravely prejudiced the struggle for the revival of the Irish language instead of helping it? It has turned what was a hopeful struggle, which had every prospect of success, into a detestable imposition which is making those who ought to be fighting for the language grow to hate it.

I asked on a previous occasion in this House whether the Minister would take counsel with the teachers and with the parents as to their attitude on these several questions which concern the teaching through the medium of Irish. The Minister said that he was in constant touch with the inspectors and that he had no reason to apprehend from their reports that there was anything amiss. He also, I think, said that he was in sufficiently close touch with the teaching profession up and down through the country to enable him to say that there was no dissatisfaction there, but the strange thing is that it was after that statement by the Minister that the teachers' resolutions began to appear, and that certain men and women had the courage to come out and say what was in their minds. They had the courage that certain Deputies in this House have not got. The Minister, when pressed to consult the parents, took up, I think, the following attitude. I do not wish to do him an injustice, and I hope he will correct me if my paraphrase of what he said is unfair or inaccurate. I think he said that he did not think he was bound to consult the parents; that the parents had little or nothing to say to the programme; and that he did not see his way to consult the parents' wishes in regard to the programme at all.

Mr. Derrig

I think I should be permitted to repeat what I did say. I have not by me the actual words that I used on that occasion, but, from recollection, what I did say was that there was no machinery by which the wishes of the parents could be consulted: that the parents were represented through certain people on the commission which drew up the primary schools' programme. In the statement to which the Deputy alludes, I pointed out that the parents were fully represented in Dáil Eireann and that Dáil Eireann in that way represented the parents' point of view.

Mr. Dillon

I am glad to learn from the Minister that he does recognise the right of the parents to have a voice in the arrangement of the programme, and that their opinion should carry weight, and very substantial weight with him. I entirely agree with that view, and I very much doubt if the Minister seriously believes that the present dispensation in the Department of Education meets with the approval of the parents of children attending primary and secondary schools. I do not think it does, and I think the Minister ought to take the earliest opportunity to find out whether it does or not. I pressed this matter on the Minister again and again for this reason, that he will find it extremely difficult to get anyone to speak his mind clearly, frankly and honestly, so long as it is believed that the Minister has fixed his mind in a certain way. People have learned during the last few years that if you are in a vulnerable position the thing to do is to keep on the right side of the Government, or you will get a stab, as it is popularly described. Of course, the truth is that the great majority of Deputies in Fianna Fáil would not dare to speak the truth, because they have a kind of pious hope that the Gaelic League has in it a good many extremists, and that if they vex the Gaelic League some of the boys would give them a stab in their respective constituencies. They have to clutch at any straw to keep them floating in the electoral world. The more precarious their seats become in this House, the more daring they are on the subject of compulsory Irish, because they are afraid of the extremists' views, and it is always safe when dealing with the Left Wing supporters of the Fianna Fáil Party to hold yourself out as an irreconcilable Gael.

Of course, the Gaels are very valuable persons to keep with them. Not knowing "B" from a bull's foot about the educational problem themselves, so long as they remain in the Fianna Fáil Party they will take good care to be on the right side. From all parts of the House the Minister got urgent requests for nothing more than this: an inquiry into the situation as it is at the present time; a clear indication from the Department of Education that they have no vested interest in the matter and are simply desirous of implementing the most effective policy for the regeneration of Irish, but that they do not nail the flag irreconcilably to any particular mast, except that they want the most effective scheme devised which will have the goodwill of the largest section of the community at its command. If the question could be approached in that way, I believe that valuable work can be done to set the Irish language on a much more secure foundation than it rests on at the present time. I feel profoundly that unless that is done we are going to allow the language to perish under our eyes. It will masquerade for a few more years as a passport to Government and public appointments. Mind you, it is only masquerading as a passport, and people are getting public appointments on account of having a competent knowledge of Irish who do not know as much Irish as I do Greek. But they use it for the purpose of getting jobs, and so long as it is held out to be an essential qualification for getting jobs, it might continue to survive in an attenuated form, until the country gets sick of the whole business and scraps it.

That is something I want to avoid, because if the country revolts against the Irish language, particularly in the present position of the language, it will shatter the whole thing. If the Irish language is shattered in our time, no succeeding generation will ever be able to revive it as a living language. It will put us to the pin of our collars to save it, and if we fail, as we know that we are failing at the present time, no succeeding generation will be able to revive it. It sometimes terrifies me when I realise the amount of ignorance, narrowmindedness and futility, as represented by the Fianna Fáil Party, which stands between the country and success in this matter. It appals me. Still I do not despair. It may be possible to undermine these things, to get them out of the way, and to drive some light into the minds of the less obtuse members of that Party, by making them realise that it is absolutely impossible for any political Party to make a political issue of Irish and save the language. If the Irish language is to be made a political issue either by the Gaels, by Fianna Fáil, or any other of the narrow minded pests that afflict this country, it will mean its hopeless and irrevocable destruction. There is only one hope for the language, and that is to make it a common platform on which persons of all points of view can co-operate for a common end. That is not done at the present time. There is no hope of it being done as long as the language is used as a kind of weapon in the hands of one or two political parties. There is no hope of it being done as long as the Department of Education takes up the position that they hold a certain view, that it is treachery to the country and a betrayal of the cause for anyone to hold a different view. That is the present attitude, and that is the attitude that is killing the Irish language movement at the present time. I hope and pray that before this year is over there will be a change from that attitude, and then we may get some useful work done.

I referred on several previous occasions to the conditions obtaining in the reformatories and industrial schools. I noticed with alarm from the Minister's statement to-day that the population of the reformatories is rising and that admissions to these institutions are increasing. I thought the Minister would have paused a moment when he came to that part of his statement, to tell us what in his opinion was the cause of the increase in juvenile crime. The House should remember that a committal to a reformatory means that a child is regarded as not being amenable to any other form of correction. No child is sent to a reformatory except for some grave misdemeanour. It must be as grave as a child or a youth can be guilty of, or has proved incorrigible. In the course of his statement the Minister said that the numbers under detention in reformatories at the end of the school year showed an increase of 15. I thought there was only one reformatory in this country, but the Minister referred to reformatories. There was a reformatory somewhere in the midlands and another at Glencree. Then Glencree was closed and only the one in the Midlands remained. I understood that it was the intention to remove the reformatory from the Midlands to Glencree so as to make the place in the midlands available to the Land Commission for division amongst local farmers.

I would be glad to know what is the present situation. The numbers under detention show an increase from 81 in 1934 to 96 in 1935. Admissions also show an increase from 28 in 1934 to 45 in 1935. That reveals a very undesirable state of affairs, one to which the Minister might advert. I know the reply the Minister will make—that he has nothing to do with the committal of children to industrial schools or reformatories and that they only come under his jurisdiction after they have been committed. Then when you go to ask the Minister for Justice he says "I have nothing to do with that; that is a question coming within the jurisdiction of the Minister for Education and you must address your question to him." However, for the sake of convenience, I think the Minister might take steps to ascertain from the Department of Justice its views as to the reason for the increase in the number of admissions to reformatories.

The Minister spoke last year hopefully about a Commission which he had set up. I raised in this House, two or three years ago, the circumstances obtaining in the House of Detention in Summerhill which I consider to be a gross scandal. I have said so here on three separate occasions and I now desire to repeat it with emphasis. When I first directed the attention of the Minister to it he went down, inspected the place, came back, and said it looked lovely. However, he announced his intention of setting up a Commission to inquire into conditions in the Industrial Schools, Reformatories and House of Detention. That Commission of Inquiry has been sitting, sitting, and it is apparently going to continue to sit. It must be 18 months since that Commission was set up. We are informed that there is yet no report and, while we are waiting for the report, the Minister feels it is beyond his capacity to take any steps to deal with the conditions in Summerhill. The conditions in Summerhill are extremely bad in my opinion. I do not know what they are recently. I have not been there for two or three years.

Mr. B. Brady

And you know all about it.

Mr. Dillon

I can quite recognise that Deputy Brady cannot imagine being inside a penal institution of any kind in this country except in the capacity of a convict. That is not my position. Those who are more accustomed to responsibility in public life recognise that we have to enter such institutions in a capacity other than that of a pauper or a convict. The Deputy will learn that when he has a little more experience as a public man. I have not been in the House of Detention for about three years. On the last occasion I was there, it was by courtesy of the Minister himself and then the conditions obtaining were very bad indeed. I have described them in this House before. When I was last there, I think there were 15 children there ranging in age from 16 down to three. There was one child of three there. That child was being removed from one industrial school to another. He was not in any sense there as a result of any misdemeanour because a child of three cannot very well commit a misdemeanour. He was solely there in transit from one industrial school to another, to which he was being committed because of his being an orphan or for some reason of that kind.

These children were assembled in one large room, a sort of playroom, and their play extended, as far as I could find out, from early morning until they went to bed at night. It does not seem to me to be a suitable arrangement, apart from anything else, to have young children of very tender years spending the whole day long in the same room with older children of 13 or 14 years who are on their way to industrial schools for stern corrective treatment as a result of having been convicted by the courts of offences of varying gravity. I drew the Minister's attention to this before, and I am not aware whether he has introduced any reform into the organisation of this establishment or not. If he has not it is a very great scandal. I invite Deputies who have children of their own to ask themselves the question, would they willingly allow a child of theirs of three or four years of age to sit down and spend its day in the company of, or playing with, precocious youngsters taken off the streets of Dublin who had been convicted in the children's courts of offences of varying gravity—some of a very abnormal kind? I say it is monstrous to put the children of the poor into an establishment of that kind. They should be sent to an establishment designed for their careful protection and proper attention, no matter how short a time they are to be there.

In my opinion, the situation obtaining at Summerhill is one that should not have been allowed to await the report of any commission. I do not consider that the conditions obtaining in industrial schools or in the reformatories are sufficiently urgent to make interim action necessary. Improvements may, no doubt, ultimately be necessary but I am satisfied there is no urgent situation arising. There is, however, in Summerhill and I put it to the Minister that a certain principle should underlie every punitive action by the State against a child.

If the State makes up its mind that the duty devolves upon it to remove a child from the family circle, it is the duty of the State to provide that child with the most ideal surroundings that the State can provide for it. Let the State provide the most ideal surroundings that it is within the capacity of the State to give, and I have no hesitation in saying that they will be worse for any child than the surroundings of the least desirable family in which one can leave a child. If you remove a child from the family circle, you take an enormous responsibility on your shoulders. The State has no right to take a child away from its father or mother, without exerting itself to the utmost of its capacity to compensate that child for what it cannot restore to it—and that is the family influence. It is peculiarly aggravating in a country such as ours, where all sections of political thought are liberal and even radical, that the children of the poor should be treated in that way, because there is no inclination on the part of any Deputy in this House, I believe, to tolerate treatment for the children of the poor that they would consider unsuitable for the children of the rich. I challenge Deputy Mrs. Concannon, Deputy Miss Pearse or any other Deputy of the Fianna Fáil Party interested in social work, to go down to Summerhill and let each of them ask himself or herself the question, would he or she wish somebody in whom he or she was interested by some blood tie, to be incarcerated in a place of that kind although that child may be only there for a week? Most of them are only there for a week; it is only in an exceptional case that they are kept longer.

I do not want to create a false impression. The place of detention is not a dirty place. The man in charge is not an undesirable person. On the contrary I believe him to be a thoroughly respectable, decent man, doing his best with the resources at his disposal, but I do say that to incarcerate children of tender years in an old house in Summerhill, standing between two tenement houses, for a period of a week without providing any adequate educational diversion for them, is most undesirable. One has to qualify everything one says in this regard in order that one may not paint a picture that is not true. A strong argument can be made against providing any educational facilities because the Minister may say "These children are only there for a week. They have not settled down; how can they imbibe any education within that week?" I do not care whether they imbibe any education or not. I say the general psychological effect on the children of providing suitable instruction is good, if you impart to them some simple lesson, whatever it is, to give them a regulated and reasonable day, instead of leaving them sitting in a room all day long, doing nothing but getting into mischief. Certainly, I know that no reasonable provision was made for the proper occupation of the children during the days they were waiting between one court and another. I can put the burden of my complaint netly, by saying that in my opinion the situation in Summerhill demands interim action; and that it is so undesirable that the Minister should not wait for the report of the Commission sitting under the chairmanship of Mr. Cussen to deal with the position that pertains there. I contrast that with the industrial schools and the reformatory schools which is not sufficient to justify demanding interim action and which can wait until the report is in the Minister's hands.

I was rebuked last year by the Minister for repeating a suggestion that I made the year before and which I am going to repeat again. If suggestions that I make are not carried out I will go on repeating them, year after year, and if we have the pleasure of sitting here for the next 25 years so long as the present Minister continues in office he will hear these suggestions. The suggestion to which I refer deals with central schools. At the present time throughout rural Ireland, particularly in the congested areas, you have innumerable inadequate schools. But it is very difficult to justify the erection of what would be a proper school in the outlying districts where the roll would be very small. Instead of a school you could erect a good shelter in that area, and provide for a bus to call at that shelter at what would normally be the school hours. You could there collect the children and bring them, say, a distance of two miles into the central school. You could provide that the central school should cater for the requirements of the children within a circuit of three miles, arranging the transport of the children from the shelters, which would be erected on the sites, or convenient to the sites of the old schools which were being abandoned in exchange for the new central schools. That proposal has a variety of advantages. First, it gets over the difficulty of building adequate schools in sparsely populated districts. Secondly, it makes it possible, by building economies to build a really decent school and to provide the kind of accommodation we would wish the children to have. Thirdly, it gives facilities for providing, what we all wish to provide, if finances and other considerations will allow, some kind of a substantial or nutritious meal for children attending national schools, particularly in the winter months. There is the further advantage that it makes it possible for a group of teachers to live reasonably approximate to one another, and it affords, instead of the small and cheerless hovels which they had been attending the opportunity for providing a more or less academic centre in the rural areas.

The Minister's reply to that on one occasion was: "Get me a manager and I shall experiment with the scheme." Of course unless you are interested in a proposal, and want to try it out yourself, you will never get anybody else interested. If the Minister is going to put his feet on the mantelpiece in Marlborough Street and wait for a manager to come in and take them down nothing is going to happen. I once sent a manager to the Minister. I took my feet off the mantelpiece and got a manager on the hop as he was going up to ask for a grant for a new school. I said that I got the Minister to say he would experiment when the first manager came to him, and I added that he would build the first school and pay the piper, as it was an experiment that he wanted to carry out. I think the Minister then said he was not prepared to pay all the expenses. I want to put this question to him: Does he consider it advisable to make an experiment along the lines I suggested in the rural districts? If so, will he say now, in order to put the matter beyond doubt, whether he is prepared to build two or three central schools in the country when the first two or three managers approach him, or when the local circumstances would be suitable with a view to getting such schools built?

Of course the Minister would have to make arrangements for setting up a bus service to bring the children in, and he would have to nurse the scheme at the beginning to see how it would work out. I am convinced from what is going on in the counties like Kerry, Mayo, Donegal and Galway that such a scheme would be a great blessing from the point of view of the children of the country and would be a great addition to the academic atmosphere which ought to pervade rural education in this country and particularly in the congested areas. But not only would it be an advantage in providing something like an academic atmosphere, it would also provide the ground system upon which we could have a system of providing one substantial or nutritious meal for the children of the poorer classes attending schools of that kind.

One last point I want to make. As far as I can see, we are spending money, I think, upon further sluaighte and in providing a new army instead of providing school books for the children of the country. It is rather a strange discovery. The next time the Minister goes out and inspects a sluagh and reviews them on parade perhaps he will remember that they march off with the school books of the children of this country under their capes, and I ask him to ask himself which is the best value, the school books or the sluaighte. I am all for school books.

I would like to hear a little more—I am very interested in this—of the histories of Irish counties. We provided a sinecure for Father O'Flanagan to write the histories of the Irish counties. We provided him with £750 a year and want to see if that money is well spent. But having provided him with £750 a year for writing histories which nobody wants, and for which, as far as I am aware, he has no qualification at all——

Mr. Derrig

Is this in order?

Mr. Dillon

Then, lest the members of this House should be deceived into the belief that the Minister is, in fact, receiving £1,150 as appears on this Vote, I desire to forewarn them that other Votes will arise in the future upon which they will find substantial charges by way of amenities for Ministers which are, in fact, concealed contributions to their salaries and we will give the Minister for Finance an opportunity of answering. As a matter of fact, those matters arise on the Army Vote, which was discussed this afternoon, and will not arise again. I think those payments have been concealed in the Army Vote. £150 is set out here as the estimated income-tax liability in respect of the Minister's income. The Minister's income free of tax is £1,000, and if the estimated income-tax liability is £150, that would suggest that his income ought to have been in the neighbourhood of £1,150 before income-tax was deducted. Well, unless I am very much mistaken, the income-tax on £1,150 at 4/6 in the £ is more than £150. I think the Minister for Finance should hold himself ready when his Vote comes to be discussed to give us a calculation founded on the true figures of what the Ministers are at the present time receiving. I think when that calculation is made it will emerge that the apostles of economy who succeeded the dastards of extravagance in the Cumann na nGaedheal Government are now receiving penny for penny what the Ministers whom they replaced received, with this difference, that the Ministers whom they replaced took their salaries, and made no apology to the people for taking them, because they knew that they were damn well worth what they were getting, but the present Ministers, recognising their own value, do not dare to ask the public for more than £1,000, although they take damn good care to get £1,700.

Cormac Breathnach

Ba mhaith liom an tAire do mholadh mar gheall ar an gcuntas a thug sé ar obair a Roinne. Tá cúpla poinnte go mba mhaith liom tagairt do dhéanamh dóibh. Ar an gcéad dul síos, tá áthas orm go bhfuil £200,000 sa mbreis leagtha amach chun tithe scoile do thógaint agus do dheisiú. Tá súil agam go rachaidh an foirgneamh san chun cinn.

Do thrácht an tAire ar an gceist acrannach sin—an Ghaedhilg mar áis mhúinte sa Ghalldacht. Níl aon cheist is mó atá ag déanamh imnidhe do dhaoine áirithe sa tír seo ná an cheist seo. Táthar ag cur is ag cuiteamh fén scéal sin ós árd agus os ísealdaoine i bhfábhar múineadh trí Ghaedhilg agus daoine ina aghaidh. Sa gcéad dul síos, ní gádh aon chonspóid fén gceist—an féidir adhbhair leighinn seachas Gaedhilg a mhúineadh trí Ghaedhilg mar tá deimhin déanta dhe go mion-minic i mbun-scoileanna agus i meadhon-scoileanna, agus go deimhin i gceard-scoileanna, gur féidir sin do dhéanamh agus a dhéanamh go foghanta. Táthar ag gabháil don tsaghas san múinteoireachta ó cuireadh Rialtas an tSaorstáit ar bun ach dar ndóigh ní gádh a rá nach é seo an chéad uair a thárla seo sa tír mar, in allód, do múintí na hadhbhair uile, idir dán, céard agus ealadha, tríd an teangain dúthchais. Maidir le scéal an lae indiu ba cheart dhá choingioll a chomhlíonadh sara bhféadfaí an múineadh trí Ghaedhilg do dhéanamh go tairbheach agus go héifeachtach— é bheith ar chumas an múinteora an cineál teagaisc seo do thabhairt uaidh agus a bheith ar chumas an leinbh an teagasc do ghlacadh chuige féin. Má tá aon cheann den dá choingioll sin ar iarraidh is léir nach féidir an teagasc a bheith go héifeachtach agus má tugtar fé déantar éagcóir ar an leanbh, éagcóir ar oideachas agus gan amhras, deineann an múinteoir dochar dó fhéin. Ag tagairt don dá choingioll so is cinnte gur tábhachtaí go mór an chéad cheann do chomhlíonadh—an múinteoir a bheith in ann an teagasc do dhéanamh. Is riachtannaí é sin go mór ná an leanbh a bheith in ann foghluim, mar, do réir deallraimh, muna mbeidh an mianach san oide ní bheidh an t-eolas agan dalta. Tá eagla orainn uile go bhfuiltear ag iarraidh na hadhbhair do mhúineadh i Scoileanna annso is annsúd agus gan ceachtar den dá choingioll sin ar fáil ionnta. Is baoghalach go bhfuil cigirí ag gríosadh múinteoirí chun thabhairt fén obair seo. Um Nodlaig seo ghabh tharainn bhuail oide liom atá ag múineadh i lár na Galltachta agus atá ag déanamh a chuid oibre uile nach mór tré Ghaedhilg. Fear é seo go bhfuil eolas maith aige ar litridheacht na Gaedhilge acht níl luas no líomhthacht aige i labhairt na teangan agus, dá bhrígh sin, ní hinchreidthe é go mbeadh sé in ann adhbhair léighinn seachas Gaedhilg do mhúineadh tríd an dteangain sin. D'fhiafruigheas de cadéan fáth go raibh sé ag tabhairt fé na hadhbhair go léir a mhúineadh tré Ghaedhilg agus dubhairt sé liom gurab é an cigire a mhol do san a dhéanamh. Dar liom, ní hionmholta moladh an chigire sin agus do réir mar a chloisim ní hé an t-aon chigire amháin atá ag tathant agus, dá n-abrainn é, ag bagairt ar mhúinteoirí áis mhúinte do dhéanamh den nGaedhilg i gcóir na n-adhbhar uile. Im thuairim-se ní théigheann sin chun leasa an léighinn nó chun leasa na Gaedhilge. Ar an dtaobh eile admhuighim go dtarluigheann, nuair a bhíonn an t-oide ag tabhairt faoi agus gan an acfuinn cheart ann, go gcoisceann cigirí air dul ar aghaidh.

Tá an iomad bolscaireachta á dhéanamh fén gceist seo. Fé mar atá ráidhte agan tá na hadhbhair léighinn uile dá múineadh tri Ghaedhilg i roinnt mhaith scol sa tír fé láthair ach ní hiontuigthe as san gur féidir sin a dhéanamh i ngach scoil. Is eol dúinn go bhfuil a shamhail sin d'obair ar siubhal i gcuid mhaith des na meadhon-scoileanna agus an obair ar fheabhas ionnta. Ach má seadh gheibheann na scoileanna san scoth na mbun-scol. Ní dócha go dtéigheann thar 5 per cent. de leanbhaí na mbun-scol isteach i meadhon-scoileanna—cuid mhaith dhíobh san de thoradh scoláireachtaí a bhronnann na comhairlí áiteamhla—agus de bhrígh gurab iad—a bhfurmhór ar aon chuma—na leanbhaí is fearr is léir gur féidir obair fhoghanta a dhéanamh leo. Ach de brígh go ndeintear san an bhfuil sé iontuigthe gur féidir an obair chéadna a dhéanamh leis an 95 per cent. ná téigheann thar an mbun-scoil? Níl, ná aon nidh mar é, ach is minic daoine á rádh gur féidir. Daoine ar bhaoithchreideamh iad san. Maidir leis sin níl an Aireacht féin ar an aigne sin mar cuireadh bun-scoileanna áirithe ar bun agus fóirne speisialta ionnta le gach nidh a mhúineadh trí Ghaedhilg. Admháil é sin, cinnte, nách bhfuil súil, leis an saghas céadna oibre sa ngnáthbhun-scoil, ná an tráth tagtha fós chun sin do dhéanamh.

Seo mo scéal féin: Tá an séambadh rang agam i mbliadhna agus bhí na buachaillí céadna agam sa tríomhadh. so gceathrú, agus sa gcúigeadh rang agus ins na ranga san dheineas iarracht ar na hadhbhair a mhúineadh trí Ghaedhilg. Ní mó ná maith d'éirigh liom le furmhór na ngarsún. Tá suas le caogadh san rang agus ar an méid sin is dóigh líom go bhféadfainn obair thairbheach éifeachtach a dhéanamh as Gaedhilg le deichneabhar—ach cá mbeadh an dachad eile? Bheidís ar fán. Agus ní togha ar an dachad so é. Rugadh is tógadh a bhfurmhór i mbathlaigh Bhaile Atha Cliath—áiteanna ná cloistear focal Gaedhilge ó cheann ceann na bliana agus gan aon éirim ag móran des na tuismitheoirí ach a leanbhaí a chur ag obair chomh luath is bhíonn na ceithre bliana déag slánuithe aca. Fé mar atá ráidhte agam thugas iarracht ar na hadhbhair a mhúineadh trí Ghaedhilg agus ar na hadhbhair sin bhí Tír-eolas na hEireann. I dtosach na scoil-bhliana so bhí roinnt des na buachaillí ag druidim leis na ceithre bliana déag agus bhí fhios agam go mbeadh roinnt díobh san ag tréigeann na scoile i rith na bliana. Anois bí seo an adhb. Bhí fhios agam go mbeadh roinnt bheag des na buachaillí ag dul isteach i siopaí, i dtighthe gnótha, nó i n-oifigí—áiteanna go mbíonn gadh le Tír-eolas— agus go fóil caithfear admháil gur le tír-eolas as Sacs-bhearla é. Cad a bhí agam le déanamh? Bhí, ar mhaithe leis na leanbhaí a chur i n-oireamhaint dá slí mbeatha agus ar son a dtuismitheoirí agus d'fhonn is mo choinsias féin a shásamh, tosnú agus an nidh a bhí déanta agam as Gaedhilg d'aithdhéanamh as Bearla, Níorbh am amú, admhuighim, an t-am a chaitheas leis an múineadh trí Ghaedhilg.

Sin rud ná tuigeann mór-chuid daoine a bhíonn ag cur síos ar an gceist seo na Gaedhilge mar áis theagaisc. Tá mórán díobh ar bheagán eolais, nó ar ceal aon eolais, ar mhúinteoireacht agus dar leo súd tá na leanbhaí uile ar chomh-dhul is ar chomh-chomhacht maidir le foghluim na Gaedhilge. Nílid ná aon nidh mar é. Na daoine go bhfuil a saothar is a sláinte caithte aca leis an obair seo tuigid nach bhfuil annsan ach baoth-thuairim gan tacaidheacht gan ughdarás. Is é mo bharamhail féin go bhfuil breis suime á cur sa gceist seo, go bhfuil breis ghríosadh fúithi agus, amhail atá ráidhte cheana, ná fuil an tráth chuige sin tagtha fós. Tuigimíd go léir go mbéarfaidh tráth ar an dtír seo go mbeidhfear ag múineadh gach adhbhair trí Gaedhilg agus dá luaithe sin seadh is fearr ach dul ar aghaidh go réasúnta. Tá saghas éigin tuairme amuigh anois nách bhfuil aon tsábháil ar an dteangain agus nách féidir Gaedhilgeoirí a dhéanamh de Ghaedhil óga muna múintear na hadhbhair léighinn tré Ghaedhilg. Ní aontuighim leis sin. Tá cainnteoirí líomtha agus scoláirí cliste Gaedhilge againn indiú, cuid aca na gcainnteóirí ón gcliabhán, cuid eile aca a fhoghluimigh an teanga, agus níor fhoghluimigh duine aca agus é ar scoil conus a dó is a trí a chur le chéile as Gaedhilg. Buaileadh aoinne isteach go dtí siopa na bhFoillseachán Rialtais nó isteach go dtí siopa foillsightheora ar bith sa tír agus cuirfead geall go bhfuil gach leabhar Gaedhilge atá ar fagháil ar na cúntuir ó láimh ughdair nár fhoghluimigh adhbhar léighinn ar bith—seachas an teanga féin—as Gaedhilg. Níor múineadh an tAthair Peadar ná Eoin MacNéill ná an tAimhirgíneach ná an Craoibhín ná Máire ná Pádraig O Domhnalláin ná Tórna ná Sceilg ná aoinne de scríbhneoirí na linne seo as Gaedhilg. B'fhéidir go mb'fhearrde iad dá ndeintí —ach sin mar a thárla. Nó go mbeidh bunús an phobail i n-ann tabhairt fé labhairt na Gaedhilge agus feidhm dá baint aiste i gcúrsaí gnótha—bíodh sí briste nó slán—beidh deacrachtaí ag baint le múineadh trí Ghaedhilg ins na bun-scoileanna. Ní dóigh liom gur gadh aon argóint fén méid sin. Is léir do chách an fhirinne atá ann. Tuigim go bhfuil daoine ann ná haontóchaidh liom agus is eagal liom gurab é buadh na tola ar an dtuisgint ag na daoine sin é.

Ba cheart go mba áit shoilbhir beo— áit ghrinn go minic—an scoil. Beidh easba beodhachta agus soilbhireachta ar scoil má bhíonn oidí agus scoláirí ag útamáil le nithe ná tuigid go maith. Ní féidir le haoinne an Ghaedhilg do láimhseáil mar áis mhúinte ach an Gaedhilgeoir foghanta. Má thugann a mhalairt fé ní bheidh san obair ach briseadh croidhe agus pionós don oide agus do sna leanbhaí.

Maidir leis na meadhon-scoileanna tá scéal eile acu san. Ní théigheann ionta san de ghnáth ach togha agus rogha na leanbh agus ar an adhbhar san, níl aon chomórtas idir iad féin agus na bun-scoileanna. An té a thugann fén gcomórtas san a dhéanamh agus argóintí a tharrac as, níl sé ach ag déanamh Máire Ní Ogáin de féin.

Dubhairt an Teachta Diolúin go mba cheart lár-scoil do chur ar bun i nGaillimh, i gCiarraidhe, agus in áiteacha eile. Táthar chun trí scoileanna do leagadh i gConntae Chabháin agus scoil amháin do thógáilt in a háit. Iarracht é sin ar lár-scoil do bhunú agus tá súil agam go n-eireochaid leis. Dubhairt an Teachta Diolúin nach raibh ag eirighe linn i gcúis na teangan. Ní aontuighim leis. Dá mbeadh sé ag Feis Ath Cliath seachtain o shoin bheadh a mhalairt de bharúil aige. Fiche bliain o shoin ní chloisfeadh duine an méid páiste agus daoine óga ag labhairt Gaedhilge agus a cloistear sa tram agus sa bhus in Ath Cliath fé láthair. B'fhéidir nach bhfuil ag eirighe linn chó maith agus ba mhaith linn, ach tá dul ar aghaidh ann.

Mar adubhairt an Teachta Diolúin tá an choitchiantacht pat-fhuar fé scéal na Gaedhilge agus ní heól dom aon obair is mó a rachadh chun leasa na teangan ná an fuaire seo do scaipeadh agus grádh don nGaedhilg agus meas ar a ngabhann léi do mhúscailt ins na ndaoine. B'fhearr go mór dóibh seo atá ag déanamh buadhartha dhóibh féin fé mhodh mhúinte na scol—gnó ná tuigid—tabhairt fén obair seo. Má dheinid, beidh siad ag cabhrú i bhfad níos mó leis an nGaedhilg agus leis na scoileanna ná bheith ag casaoid fén nGaedhilg mar áis mhúinte.

Conas atá an scéal indiu ag na Ranna Rialtais? An bhfuil aon cheataí á dhéanamh don té atá ar ceal Gaedhilge? An bhfuil aon Roinn den Rialtas ag déanamh a chuid oibre ar fad trí Ghaedhilg? An bhfuil Roinn an Oideachais féin á dhéanamh? Níl. Nách é fírinne an scéil é gur cuma don gnáth dhuine Gaedhilg a bheith aige nó bheith ina héaghmais chomh fada is a théigheann cúrsaí riaracháin an tSaorstáit. Gan amhras má tá sé de mhí-ádh ar aon chathruigtheoir bheith 'na mhúinteoir ní hamhlaidh scéal do san.

Is eagal liom go bhfuil an Rialtas ar aon aigne leo so a cheapann leó féin gur mhairbh na Scoileanna Náisiúnta an Ghaedhilg agus gur féidir leó í aithbheóchaint. Má tá an tuairim sin ag an Rialtas agus má ghlacann Aireacht an Oideachais leis an ndualgas atá tuigthe as an dtuairim sin beidh breall ar an Aireacht san agus beidh dhá bhreall ar an nGaedhilg.

Ní shábhálfaidh Aireacht an Oideachais an teanga. Níl san Aireacht san ach áis do sna hAireachtaí eile chun an teanga do chur ar fagháil dóibh sin, ach muna mbíonn éileamh ag na hAireachtaí eile ar an dteangain sin deire léi. Ag tagairt don éileamh san ba mhaith liom mo bhuidheachas féin agus buidheachas Gaedheal Eireann do chur i n-úil do Eamonn O Bróithe de chionn a bhfuil á dhéanamh aige chun an Ghaedhilg a chur i ngníomh na Roinn féin.

Ach níl an Rialtas ag cur as ar aon bhealach don té atá ar ceal Gaedhilge. Cuirtear amach fógraí puiblí agus a leithéid i mBéarla. Maidir leis na gnáth-dhaoine is cuma leo ce'ca tá Gaedhilg acu nó ná fuil, mar bíonn aistriú i mBéarla ar na fograí a foillsightear.

Chuir an Aireacht roinnt nótaí amach ós cionn bliana ó shoin agus más maith is mithid. Is ait liom gan nótaí díobh seo a bheith scríobhtha i nGaedhilg— fiú amháin na nótaí ar an nGaedhilg féin. Pé leath-scéal atá fé no nótaí eile bheith as Béarla níl aon leath-scéal fén gceann so, mar an múinteoir ná tuigfeadh na nótaí i nGaedhilg ní ceart go mbeadh múineadh Gaedhilge mar chúram air. Cuireann sé seo in úil dúinn nach bhfuil muinighin ceart— fiú amháin ag Aireacht an Oideachais féin—ar an nGaedhilg mar adhbhar teagaise nú stiúrtha.

Foillsigheadh le goirid—as Béarla ar ndóigh—toradh fiosrúcháin a dhein Coiste Idir-Ranna ar cheist árdú aois freastal riachtanach leanbhaí scoile, agus ní dóigh liom gurab ion-mholta an tuarasgabháil í. Is mian liom an chuma a ceapadh an Coiste idir-eatortha so do cháineadh. 'Sé mo thuairim ná raibh sé ceart ná cóir ag an Aire sgéal den tsaghas d'fhágaint fé bhreithniú ag feadhmanaigh Stáit amháin. Ceist í seo a bhaineann go dlúth le saoghal na ndaoine agus is dóibh is dual agus ní do Stáit-Sheirbhísigh, a mholadh nó é do dhiúltadh. Ba cheart go n g l a c f a í tuairim teachtairí an phobail. Beidh na daoine sin lán tsásta suidhe síos agus an sgéal d'infhiúchadh agus a mbreith do thabhairt—breith go mbeadh aigne an phobail suidhte innte. Ní ceart, im' thuairim-se, a leithéid de chúram do chur ar Stát-Sheirbhísigh. Ceist caighdeáin í seo agus ní hé a ndualgas san polasaí do leagadh amach. Isé a ndualgas—agus, maidir le seirbhísigh puiblí an Stáit seo, níl a sárú le fáil chuige sin—an polasaí, nuair ceaptar é i bhfuirm dlí nó reachta nó riaghlach, do chur i bhfeidhm. Má fágtar bun agus barr an scéil fútha bheadh sé chó maith. An Dáil do scur agus riaradh agus reachtú na tíre d'fhágaint fé Ranna an Rialtais.

Maidir leis na Meán-Scoileanna, chuir an Roinn Oideachais cearcalán thart tamall o shoin ar na meán-scoileanna, ag tabhairt rogha dá lucht stiúrtha an obair theinteain do laigheadú. Más fíor a gcloisim ó thuismitheoirí, níl mórán toradh ar an gcearcalán céadna, agus ní bheidh no go gcuirfear malairt crota ar an scrúdú agus go gcuirfear deire leis na fógraí gaile agus gaisce seo a foillsightear ar na nuachtáin gach Foghmhar. Cuirfeadh na fógraí san i gcuimhne do dhuine an méid a foillsightear fé theasbantas an Earraigh a comórtar ag Droichead na Dothra. Sé mo thuairim go mba cheart cosc a chur leis na fógraí seo— no go háirithe malairt cuma a chur ortha seachas mar a bhíonn ar a bhfurmhór fé láthair.

Rinne an tAire tagairt dosna gairmscoileanna—scoileanna go bhfuil bainnt agam leo. Isé an locht atá ar na scoileanna so, im thuairim-se, go mbíonn na mílte ag freastal ar chursa an chéad bhliana, na céadta ar chúrsa na dara bleana, na scóranna ar chúrsa na treas bliana, agus na dosaoin ar chúrsa na bliana deiridh. Ní maith an rud e sin, mar fé mar is eol don Aire, ní árd an grád oidís a bhíonn ar siúl i rith an chéad bliana. Níl ann maidir leis na gnáth-adhbhairléighinn, ach an obair cheadna a bhíonn ar siubhal sna hárd-ranganna sna bun-scoileanna. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil aon tslí chuige sin ach deontas éigin a bhronnadh ar mhic léighinn i rith na treas bliana.

Rinne an tAire tagairt don dontas £2 a tugtar do leanbhaí sa nGaeltacht. Is léir go bhfuil tairbhe ag teacht as an deontas san. Téigheann se chun maitheasa athar an leinbh, ach ní minic a théigheann sí thairis sin. Ach is ag seandaoine na Gaeltachta atáimíd faoi chomaoin i dtaobh labhairt na teangan annsin. Is dócha nach bhfuil cead agam dlí no reacht do mholadh ar mheastachán, acht ba mhaith liom dá ndéanfadh an Rialtas socrú pinsean sean-aoise a bhronnadh ar sheandaoine na Gaeltachta, a bhfuil a gclann a gcloinne ina nGaedhilgeoirí, ar shroichint aois a 65 dóibh. Cuirfeadh sé seo árd-chomaoine ar sheandaoine sa nGaeltacht. Bheadh an scéim costasach acht b'fhiú é do chur i bhfeidhm.

Is eagal liom go bhfuil an iomarca ama á chaitheamh, do réir an chláir, ar scríobhnóireacht sna bun-scoileanna. B'fhearr i bhfad dá mbeadh na páistí ag foghluim filíochta, scéaluíochta, no a leitheid, i rith cuid den am so. Má tá cainnt bhlasta ag páiste is furus do scríobhnóireacht d'fhoghluim agus caithfimíd cuimhneamh go raibh a lán filíochta agus scéalta ag na sean-daoine sa nGaeltacht. Táimid ró-thugtha don scríobhnóireacht agus táimíd ag déanamh balbháin de na páistí.

Do réir Bhunreacht an tSaorstáit, tá bun-oideachas le fagháil in aisce mar adubhairt an Teachta Diolúin. Ní leor san. Caithfear mean-oideachais, agus ceárd-oideacheas, agus árd-oideachas bheith le fagháil in aisce. Tá £420,300 san meastachán i gcóir na meán-scoileanna. Ba mhaith liom comórtas d'fheiceáil idir an méid sin agus na táillí a híochtar. Ní dóigh liom go gcimeádfadh na táillí na scoileanna so ar siubhal ar feadh rátha. Is mar a gcéadna leis na hollscoileanna. De bhrigh nách sroiseann ach 5 per cent. de lucht na mbun-scoil an mheanscoil agus níos lugha ná 1 per cent. an Ollscoil, is léir go bhfuil an duine bocht ag ioc as árd-oideachas mhic an duine shaidhbhir agus gan aon dul ag a mhac féin ar an oideachas san do ghnóthú. Tá fhios agam go bhfuil scolárachtaí ann acht ní fiú biorán iad i gcomparáid le n-a bhfuil de dhaoine óga ar bhfiú árd-oideachas iad. Má ólann sean-duine bocht braon uisge beatha, no má chaitheann sé tobac, tá sé ag cuidiú chun árd-oideachas do sholáthar do pháistí daoine saidhbhre agus is dóigh liom go bhfuil éagcóir á déanamh ar na daoine bochta san sa gceist seo.

Maidir le tuarastal na múinteoirí náisiúnta, na daoine go bhfuil 95 per cent. d'aos óg na tíre ag brath orra chun oideachais, na daoine atá ag déanamh furmhór mór d'obair aithbheóchana na teangan, na daoine a mhúineann paidreacha agus Teagasc Críostaidhe do 100 per cent. d'aosánaigh na tíre, ní mhothuighim go bhfuil fonn dá laighead ar an Aire an gearradh trom do baineadh díobh do thabhairt ar ais dóibh. Admhuigheann gach éinne nách bhfuil aon dream sa tír is mó le rá in gach nídh a bhaineann leis an dteangain. Cloistear daoine ar ardánaibh ag cur alladhoire ar a lucht éisteachta leis an ngairmscoile "gan teanga, gan tír," ach na daoine is comhachtaí chun an ghairmscoile sin do thabhairt chun críche an t-aon dream amháin, abhfuil tuarastal suas le 20 per cent. níos lugha acu indiú ná mar bhí acu an tráth cuireadh an Saorstát ar bun. Is ait an sgéal é —méadú oibre agus luigheadú tuarastail. Gearradh airgead na múinteóirí i Sasana agus in Alban, ach má seadh, tá an gearradh sin slánuithe arís agus tá súil go ndéanfar amhlaidh ins na Sé Conndaethe. Níor cuireadh aon bhreis ualaigh ná aon nua-dhualgas ar oidí na gceanntar san le 14 bliana ach mar sin féin, is fearr as iad ná oidí an tSaorstáit.

Molaim an tAire mar gheall ar an oráid do thug sé i nGaedhilg. Is maith an rud gur i nGaedhilg a tugadh isteach dhá Mheastachain indiú. Muna labhrann na Teachtaí agus na Seanadóirí i nGaedhilg, ní tabharfar deagh-shompla do mhuinntir na tire.

Mr. G. O'Sullivan

I think it is to be regretted that the speech of Deputy Breathnach was not uttered in the tongue of the Saxon, because the thoughts to which he gave expression so ably and eloquently in Irish would be of great help to a number of people in this country who really are worried about the position of education, and especially what is known as primary education. The House to-night is discussing the biggest of the 72 Votes to come before the House —the Old Age Pensions Vote almost equals it—and yet the casual way in which it is taken, even by such an advocate of education as Deputy Breathnach should be, is somewhat surprising. It strikes me that all the interest in and the basis, so to speak, of this question of education was the Irish language.

I should like to say at the beginning that the Irish language is just a very small part indeed of the whole question of education in this country, as in any other country is the language which is spoken by the people, or by the teachers who teach it, or the language through which the education is imparted. Education should be looked upon in a much broader and larger sense than what I would call the medium through which it is imparted. Schools, teachers, pupils, school-books, school-furniture, the school buildings themselves—all these things play their part, but so does the language through which the instruction is imparted. The education itself is so much bigger than even the type of instruction, the language through which it is imparted, the particular subjects in which instruction is given, that I regret that we have come in this House to discuss education, and particularly primary education, on one basis only, namely, are we teaching more Irish; are we making Irish more compulsory; are we teaching subjects through the medium of Irish which we should not; or are we not teaching subjects through the medium of Irish which we should? We forget entirely the basic principles and the uses of it, the necessity for education, and what education is and should be.

I should like to say that my own experience is that an improvement has taken place in the primary education system in this country as compared with, let us say, as Deputy Breathnach said, 20 years ago. But, as one who is somewhat of an enthusiast for the revival of the Irish language, I feel that there has been an undue concentration on what is called teaching through the medium of Irish as distinct from the teaching of Irish. I should like the Minister and his Department to think more of teaching children Irish than teaching through the medium of Irish. Deputy Breathnach spoke of the number of children who go to a school in a certain part of this city who have not a word of Irish when they come in, and who, he said, in two or three years can speak Irish. He told us that they are learning something through the medium of Irish. Let us be perfectly frank with ourselves. How could you learn something through a medium which you do not possess, with which you are not in contact, about which you know nothing? Deputy Breathnach tells us that after two or three years they know something. There are two or three years wasted. Surely there is something more in education than the learning of something through the medium of Irish? There would be the learning of Irish itself. Even with the youngest child who goes to school there is always the matter of developing itself, helping to do something for itself, helping to know itself, to know what it is in the world, what it hopes to be and why it is in the world. Education should not be confined, in this country or in any other country, to the learning of the language even that happens to be the language of the country.

Speaking on the subject of that school, might I digress for a moment and ask the Minister when he is going to do for the townships what he has already done for the city, namely, establish a school in the townships which will do what Deputy Breathnach said—enable them to spend two or three years learning something through a medium which they do not understand and know nothing of? I understand that nearly 50 per cent. of the children who go to that school in the city come from the townships. It is about time for the Department to consider the advisability of relieving the unfortunate parents at least of the worry of seeing the children safely into the centre of the city and then safely home again.

I agree thoroughly with the Departmental insistence on what Deputy Breathnach called seriobhaoireacht. He says too much time is spent on writing in the schools. I think that half enough time is not spent upon it, because what is most required in this country, and more required in this country than in any other, is some attempt at accuracy of thought. The Deputy suggested that it would be much better that persons should spend their time learning Irish poetry or stories and so get more diffuse and more scattered in their minds and in their system of thinking. Even in this House it would be interesting if persons who get up to speak here were asked to put what they want to say on a piece of paper and hand it into the Clerk to be handed to the Ceann Comhairle or Leas-Cheann Comhairle. If that were so, we would be rid of many of the unfortunate and regrettable scenes that happen in this House which arise because we have not been trained in that close system of thinking or careful thought. The only way to get people to think carefully and closely is to ask them to put down on a piece of paper what they think they are going to say. Even if they spend two or three or four hours a week at it, it will have the effect that the Ceann Comhairle or the Leas-Cheann Comhairle who will sit here 50 years hence may go to sleep while the work goes on, because there will be none of those wild outbursts, brainstorms, so to speak, as the third generation will have been trained through the system which the Minister is developing of getting even the youth to put it down on paper. If you have something to say put it down in writing. It will take some generations before that will be developed.

There is one thing to which I should like to refer. I do not wish to give any undue publicity to it, but it is certain that it has been brought before the attention of every member of the Dáil; that is what we all hear with regard to the inspectorial system. I should like to get from the Minister an assurance that the position with regard to the inspectorial system is not as bad as it would appear to be I do not want to go into the matter any further. There was in this country always an objection to inspection. I suppose for many years to come there will be an objection to inspection whether it is the inspection of schools or inspection in the Civil Service or in the Army or any other kind of inspection. There will always be an objection to it. Whether it is our desire for liberty, or whether it is because we do not distinguish between liberty and licence I do not know. But I will say this that there is nothing more necessary, in my opinion, than inspection whether in the schools, the Army, the Police, the Civil Service or in any other place. I expect it will be like that for two or three generations. When people begin to think rightly and clearly and put down in writing what they want to say the successors of the Ceann Comhairle and the country as a whole will derive advantage from it.

In the development of the Irish language Deputy Breathnach said that we should imitate the English and send all our notices, processes, and so on, in the language that we desire to be used. He said that if the people did not understand it they would go to somebody who did understand it. The Deputy advised the Government to develop that aspect of the question. I am surprised that the Deputy said that. I have here a document the from of which was first printed many years ago. It was, I think, about 1924. It reads:—

Tá orm adhmhail go bhfhuaras do leitir agus feucaidheadh mé is teach san sgeul.

A man came to me with that and asked: "What does that mean? Am I to get the job now?"

I think really that the Ministry should be congratulated on the way in which the work of the Department is being developed. But I would not be unduly praiseworthy of its efforts with regard to the language. Children, no matter where they live, except in the Gaeltacht, learn Irish for four or five years at school; they then go off to the new factories and never speak a word of the language afterwards. What we want to develop, as far as the Irish language is concerned, is enthusiasm for it.

There is one other matter to which I should like to refer. Perhaps it has not come within the purview of the Minister. I refer to a habit that is developing in a large number of schools, or I should say it has developed in the case of a number of teachers throughout the country, of referring to matters of a political nature. It has come to my knowledge that persons who are now dead, persons against whom the greatest patriot on those benches would say nothing, have been described by those teachers as traitors. That is a regrettable thing. That certainly is not educating the children. I know it is a thing for which the Minister, or anybody in his Department, would not stand. I hope that every opportunity will be taken by the Department to bring that type of—I should not call it education—disgraceful conduct to an end. After all, if children are to be developed and if they are to be taught a sense of citizenship in the schools it will be impossible for them to have respect either for their teachers or for their Government, if one teacher describes the late General Collins as a traitor to his country or another teacher so describes President de Valera. That sort of thing should be stopped at once. I hope that the Minister, in his public pronouncements and the Department and inspectorial staff will do all they can to put an end to that; because whatever our political opinions and are whatever acerbities there may be between us as Parties I think it would be a regrettable thing that that sort of thing should be handed down to the next generation and handed down by persons unworthy or otherwise who certainly were never in contact with the people whom they now attack.

Donnchadh O Briain

Is truagh liom nách bhfuil an Teachta Diolúin i láthair anois. On oráid a thug sé dhúinn, shoilfeá nách raibh ceart ag an Aire labhairt i dteangain ar bith ach Béarla. Dubhairt sé ná raibh ann ach amaideacht an meastachán so do thabhairt isteach i nGaedhilg annso indiu. Níl fhios agam an bhfuil aon chosaint annso d'Aire gur mhian leis a chuid oibre do dhéanamh i nGaedhilg. Bíonn a lán cainnte gach bliain, nuair a bhíonn an meastachán so os cóir na Dála, ar staid na Gaedhilge i gcúrsaí oideachais. Is ceart san, mar ar an oideachais atá beatha nó bás na Gaedhilge ag brath. Is olc an rud ar fad do Theachta cosamhail le Teachta O Diolúin ag a bhfuil an Ghaedhilg, nó atá ag foghluim na Gaedhilge, bheith ag cáineadh agus ag tabhairt tarcuisne d'Aire a labhras Gaedhilg agus é ag tabhairt meastacháin os comhair na Dála. Nuair a bhí an tAire Cosanta ag labhairt bhí an Teachta Diolúin á cháineadh san dóigh chéadna, agus is mór an truagh é. Moladh in ionad cáinte atá tuillte ag na hAirí seo. Ón gcéad uair a chuaidh an tAire Oideachais i gceann na Roinne chuir sé an meastachán os comhair na Dála i nGaedhilg agus is droch-shompla do mhuinntir na tíre bheith ag cáineadh Aire mar gheall ar labhairt na Gaedhilge annso. Bhí a lán cainnte ar staid na Gaedhilge agus ar staid oideachais, agus ní mian liom dul siar ar an gcainnt sin. Tá a lán ráidhte agus scríobhtha ar an nGaedhilg mar gléas teagaisc ins na mBun-Scoileanna. Do labhair an tAire ar an gceist sin indiú agus tá súil agam do socróchaidh sin an sgéal. Nuair a cuireadh Coimisiún ar bun fén gcéad Dáil, thug siad isteach molta ar an gceist seo. Leanadh den socrú do rinneadh an t-am san. Níor ghéill an Aireacht nuair a bhí an cheist dá hinfhiuchadh arís roinnt blian ó shoin, agus tá súil agam ná géillfear don rí-rá atá ar siúl anois.

Rinne an tAire tagairt do na Coláistí Ullúcháin agus dubhairt sé nách raibh na daoine óga ag dul isteach ar na scrúduithe i límistéirí áirithe, agus do dhein sé tagairt speisialta do Chonndae na Gaillimhe. Cad fé ndear é seo? Níl fhios agam an bhfuil aon bunudhas leis an sgéal, ach dubhradh liom go raibh an caighdeán ró-árd i mBéarla i gcóir muinntir na Gaeltachta. Síleann cuid mhaith daoïne tuisceannacha nách ceart Bearla do bheith riachtannach chun dul isteach sna Coláistí seo in aon chor. Creidim féin go bhfuil an caighdeán an Bhearla ró-árd do dhaoine nách bhfuil togha Béarla acu. Ba mhaith liom míniú d'fháil ón Aire ar an sgéal seo a bhaineas leis na Coláistí Ullúcháin.

Níl fhios agam an bhfuil deire curtha leis na aistrithe ón mBéarla go Ghaedhilge. Ní thuigim cén fáth go ndearnadh aistriú ar chuid de na leabhra a foillsigheadh. Ní raibh sé ach ag cur airgid amú cuid de na leabhra seo do chur i geló.

Rinne an t-Aire tagairt don scéim scoláireachta atá i bhfeidhm ina lán Conndaethe san tSaorstát—sé sin scoláireachtaí ó na bun-scoileanna go dtí na meadhon-scoileanna. Bhí scéim mar sin i bhfeidhm i gCondae Luimnighe roinnt blian ó shoin agus d'eirigh leis go maith. Ach, chun airgid do shábháil, do ghearr an Comhairle an deontas seo amach. Ba mhaith an rud dá gcuirtí scéim mar seo ar bun arís i gCondae Luimnigh.

Tá obair eile ar siúl ag an Roinn agus tá géar-gádh leis—sé sin scoileanna nua do thógáil agus seanscoileanna do dheisiú. Molaim an obair atá á dhéanamh ag an Roinn agus deirim go bhfuil gádh leis an obair seo ar an dtuaith chó maith agus atá ins na cathracha agus ins na bailtí móra.

Nílim sásta go bhfuil an gléas oibre fén scéim nua gairm-oideachais chó maith leis an sean-ghléas, chó fada is a théigheann teagasc na Gaedhilge. Nuair a bhí múinnteoirí speisialta, cosamhail leis na múinnteoirí teastail fé Chonnradh na Gaedhilge, ag teagasc, rinne siad obair fhoghanta ar son na Gaedhilge. Ba ghnáth leis na múinteoirí seo na daoine óga do ghríosadh chun an Ghaedhilg d'fhoghluim. Do choimeád an scéim sin na daoine óga le chéile agus leanadar de labhairt na Gaedhilge ar fhágailt na scoile dhóibh. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil ag eirighe chomh maith leis an scéim atá i bhfeidhm anois is d'eirigh leis an sean-scéim, agus ba mhaith an rud dá ndéanfadh an t-Aire an sgéal seo d'iniúchadh go geur.

Molaim an tAire de bhárr an meastachán so do chur os ár gcomhar i nGaedhilg agus de dhárr an méid eolais do thug sé dhúinn. Mar adubhairt an Teachta O Súilleabháin, is é seo an meastachán is tábhachtaí a bhíonn againn le plé. Caithtear níos mó airgid ar an meastachán so ná mar a caithtear ar aon mheastachán eile agus is ceart é do scrúdú go géar agus go cúramach. Is dóigh liom go molfadh gach duine a chuireann suim in Oideachas, nó san teangain, an tAire mar gheall ar an méid eolais a thug sé dhúinn i nGaedhilg i dtaobh bun-oideachas, meán-oideachais, gairm-oideachais agus árd-oideachais.

Gearóid MacPharthalán

Is do Chontae na Gaillimhe, is dócha, a bhí an tAire ag tagairt nuair a bhí sé ag cur síos san ráiteas ar an méid scoláirí atá ag dul isteach sna Coláistí Ullumhacháin ón nGaeltacht. An rud adubhairt an Teachta O Briain i dtaobh an scrúduíthe i mBéarla is fíor é. Tamall o shoin, bhí mé ag dul isteach san sgéal agus b'fhéidir go bhfuil cúis eile leis. Táim i mo Theachta do Chonamara agus iarraim ar an Aire an cheist a infhiúchadh. Nílim sásta go bhfuil muinntir Chonamara ag fáil cothrom na Féinne i dtaobh na ceiste seo. Tá daoine óga annsin atá chó hintleachtach le daoine óga in aon áit san tír, ach deirtear liom nach féidir leo níos mó na 85 per cent. fháil i nGaedhilg mar gheall ar a gcanúint. Ní abraim gur fíor é sin—ach ní thuigim conus a bheadh an sgéal mar sin marab é an caighdeán is bun leis. Más fíor é ní ceart é, agus iarraim ar an Aire é cheartú.

Maidir leis an deontas £2, níl mórán conspóide faoi'n scéim sin. Deintear an obair go maith. Ach tá ceanntracha ann in a bhfuil an teanga i mbaoghal, ceanntracha in a bhfuil Gaedhilg agus Béarla ar aon dul. Táimid ag iarraidh an breac-Ghaeltacht do thabhairt isteach san bhfíor-Ghaeltacht agus muna bhfuilimíd in ann muinntir na breac-Ghaeltachta do bhrostú i dtaobh labhairt na Gaedhilge, ní bheidh aon dul chun cinn. Ba mhaith liom gan na cigirí a bheith ró-chruaidh ar mhuinntir na gceanntracha so nuair a bheidh siad faoi scrúdú acu. Tá an obair 'á déanamh go maith, ach caithfear aire do thabhairt don taoibh so den cheist. Mar adubhairt an Teachta O Briain, tá moladh tuillte ag an Aire de bharr an méid atá déanta aige ar son na Gaedhilge.

Mr. McMenamin

So far as I am concerned, the only question that arises is what method of approaching the teaching of the Irish language is going to succeed in making this country Gaelic. In my view for the last ten or 12 years we have had in regard to the Irish language the policy of the jack-boot. I have watched the application of that very closely, particularly in my own constituency, a large part of which is predominantly Gaelic, and I must say that whether it is due to the policy of the jack-boot or for other reasons, the Gaelicising of my county is not advancing; in fact, the Irish language there is going backwards and that, I think, is a very regrettable position. One might be inclined to use Party weapons in regard to a position of that kind, but I refuse to do that. Inaugurating a policy for the re-Gaelicisation of the country without having any previous experience in such a mission, it is only natural that difficulties will arise and that there will be errors and perhaps failure will attend the best intentions. It is quite easy to criticise, and the Irish people in general are adepts at that. As a people, we are very good for criticising, but we lack constructive criticism.

In a matter of this kind, what I generally do is I look at it from the historical aspect, and see what the background is. It is unquestioned that at one time this country was Gaelic; Gaelic was the language of Tara; but to-day the Gaelic speaking people are back in a narrow strip west of the Shannon. When we speak of Gaelic Ireland we have in mind that narrow strip west of the Shannon. How did that state of affairs come about? It was due to invasion, the invaders coming from the east, settling themselves in the east and then spreading westwards. As they proceeded westwards they carried their language and their customs with them and their language was the Anglo-Saxon language. I wonder can any moral be drawn from that? Could we not now adopt, in the Gaelicising of Ireland, the policy that was so successful in de-Gaelicising Ireland in the past, and that is to proceed from the west towards the east? I quite admit, without any reservation, that you are making the country bilingual, that every child who goes to school, whether in Donegal, Wexford, Dublin or Louth, has two languages. But the question is are you really Gaelicising Ireland? Are you driving out the English language? Have you any hope of making Ireland Gaelic-speaking?

Is there any Deputy here who will maintain that Irish is holding its own in the Gaelic areas, the areas, for instance, that were Gaelic when I was a child? There may be some who will argue that, but it is pure moonshine. In the townland where I was born, at one time there was not a house in which the people did not speak Irish; the entire language of the townland was Gaelic. To-day, there are only two people, old age pensioners, a man and a woman, who speak the language. The man is bilingual, English and Irish, and the woman speaks nothing but Irish. All the children going to school from this townland are bilingual, but it cannot be said that they are Gaelic speaking. The moment they leave school, back they go to the English language.

If we are to make a success of this language movement, then we must not have organisations competing against each other; one political party must not compete with another. I think such a thing is a crime against the country. It is regrettable that politicians should adopt such deplorable methods when seeking the votes of the electors. In their desire to become politicians there are some who try the backdoor or the side door or come in by the skylight and they will adopt any device in order to get votes. There are certain organisations that will countenance such methods. Until this thing is wiped out, this attempt by organisations to outshine other organisations in their effort to help the Irish language, I do not think we are going to get very far. I am definitely of the opinion that if you are going to encourage language development, you must proceed from the Gaelic area towards the east; in other words, adopt the same policy as those who succeeded in stifling the language in the past. Do not begin in Wicklow, Wexford or Louth, the same policy that you are adopting in the west, because I do not think it will succeed. I do not wish to be dogmatic; I merely wish to propound something that will be helpful in the matter. The policy of the jack-boot is being applied and I must honestly say that it is not succeeding.

I am interested in the question of school buildings. So far as very many of our school buildings are concerned, I have nothing but contempt for them. They are, in my opinion, antiquated and some of them are barbarous. I should like to know from the Minister how many schools in this country are built over 100 years; how many built over 50 years—between that and 100 years—and how many schools have been built upwards of 50 years ago, in which there has been no practical reconstruction work done in the meantime. There are such schools in my constituency. As a matter of fact, there is a school in the parish in which I was born which is, probably, almost 150 years old and there has been no practical structural alteration in that school since. It is badly lighted, badly ventilated; there is no accommodation for the number of children in it and no sanitary arrangements except such as can only be described as barbarous; no other word describes it. Now, £200,000 is voted here for new school buildings. We are spending over £1,000,000 in this State annually for the housing of the people. A lot of people are clapping themselves on the back about what has been done in that connection. Houses are built for people, and the people of the future, generally, are the children of to-day. The children go out to school each day and, very often, as in many parts of my own constituency, they have to walk four or five miles to school. They get up early in the morning and they have to leave their homes very early so as to be in time for school. They come home in the evening and get something to eat and then they are knocking about the fields and laneways till bed time; but, roughly, from eight o'clock in the morning they have to spend the major portion of the day in schools of the type I have described —over 150 years old, badly lighted, badly ventilated, no proper sanitary accommodations—and at the same time we clap ourselves on the back for what we are doing in other directions while we herd these children all together in a den of this type during the day. The Minister for Local Government and Public Health pats himself on the back for what he is doing to house the people. I also would pat him on the back for that, but I would also give a clap on the back to the Minister for Education if he would only take the bit in his teeth and make up his mind here and now that every school of over 50 years' standing in this country would be either rebuilt or extensively reconstructed. So bad is this in the very parish in which I was born that I threatened to get an order from the county medical officer of health closing four schools in the parish—I felt so strongly about this matter. Ultimately, when things become a disease of that kind, one tends to become a revolutionary. I am not a revolutionary, but so far as the rebuilding of these schools is concerned I am prepared to be one on this matter.

Now, in the rebuilding of these schools I notice that there does not seem to be any tendency at all to make provision for the future with regard to the raising of the school-leaving age. Apparently they are being constructed for, approximately, their present attendance. It is a very bad thing, I know, to set up to be a prophet, but I venture to suggest that, in the future of this country, it is inevitable that the school-leaving age will be raised—overwhelming circumstances are accumulating which will make that inevitable. I shall come presently to one of the most important of these circumstances. Apparently, as I said, no cognisance at all is being taken of the fact that you will raise the school-leaving age, and that probably also we will send children to school earlier, and that there will be a kindergarten section to the ordinary national school. If, as Deputy Dillon suggested, the bus services will be extended to collect children, obviously it will mean that parents will send the children earlier to school, and hence the necessity for this kindergarten in the school. The population of this country is increasing. There is a serious problem of unemployment, and I think it would be much better, no matter what the cost that for another year or two years at least the school-leaving age should be increased by one year, and that the aim should be to increase it to two years. I would suggest to the Minister to keep that in mind so far as the building of any schools in the future is concerned.

There is one other matter to which I should like to refer, and that is the question of the reformatory schools— not so much to the schools themselves as to the figures, because I wish to link it up with, and to direct the Minister's attention to the primary schools and their connection with the reformatory schools. Deputy Dillon referred to-night, and Mr. Justice Hanna speaking here in the city on, I think, St. Patrick's night, also referred to the increase in juvenile crimes in this country. Of course, to those of us who are connected with the law, that has been apparent for some time. Deputy Dillon, speaking to-night, suggested that the reply of the Minister for Education would be that that was a matter for the Minister for Justice, and that the Minister for Justice, when asked, would say: "Oh, I have nothing to do with that; that is a matter coming under the jurisdiction of the Minister for Education," and that it would be brushed aside in that manner. I do not think we can pass away from this problem so lightly. It is not a thing to be brushed aside lightly in that manner. I think there is direct responsibility here, and that this House should not completely brush the question to one side. If we take into consideration the fact that the children that are dealt with in children's courts are children under 16 years of age—and I noted that, when Deputy Dillon was speaking, he told us he had visited Summerhill and noticed there a child of three in with children of 11, 12 and 13 years of age; so the House will observe, according to what Deputy Dillon witnessed, that a lot of the children going to reformatory schools are children under the school age—it makes one consider what is the purpose of the Minister and his Department. If we had the average number of pupils in the reformatory schools—and last year we had an increase of 19—is there not some food for reflection there? What is our education aiming at? Where is it leading to? I venture to suggest that the main purpose of education, over and above language of any kind—Irish, English or any other language—is to teach the children the main purpose of their creation, and that is to observe the law of God and the cognate law, the civil law. It will not do for the Minister to say that it is not his responsibility, because we have all equal responsibility. We are all here in charge of the affairs of this State and trying to help it, whether we are in Opposition or in the Government. Last year there was an increase of 19 in admissions to reformatory schools, and you may take it that, in the main, these were school-going children or children only two years after leaving school.

We find that a sum of in or about £3,000,000 is being spent on primary education. If education does not teach children to be good citizens, to be obedient to the Law of God and to the civil law, then in my opinion it has failed in its purpose. It has failed both from the theological and the civic point of view. Hence, it has failed altogether, and instead of education of that kind it would be better if children were taken behind a bush or a hedge and taught the contents of the penny catechism. Mr. Justice Hanna's statement revealed an alarming state of things. It will not do for the Minister for Education to say "Well, what can I do?; the Minister for Justice has the responsibility for sending them on to the courts." I suggest that it is the Department of Education and the children's parents who have that responsibility. There is a joint and several responsibility between the parents and the schools. In my opinion, this is a matter for very serious consideration. Of course, there are others as well as the parents and the schools. The Church has an important part to play in all this. During the last couple of years we have all observed and read the appeals made by the ecclesiastical authorities to parents to exercise stricter control over their children. But, apparently, their appeals have fallen on barren ground.

I wonder is this increase in juvenile crime due in any way to the fact that parents have become more tenderhearted and that they resent the correction of their children at school. I would be very strongly opposed to the infliction of unnecessary punishment on children in school, but it must be admitted that some children require to be corrected. If there is a bold child in a school giving bad example then the master should have the power to inflict reasonable punishment on that child. I think it must be admitted too, that there is a good deal of laxity in the exercise of parental control in many homes. When the children from such homes pass to the schools, the masters are sometimes afraid to correct them, The result is that the children go out into the world without any sense of responsibility, and with no respect for their parents or teachers, or for the Law of God or the civil law. As a consequence, they find their way into the reformatory schools. I think if we were to relate these two matters: the fact that a number of the children attending primary schools eventually find their way into the reformatories, we will find that education is responsible for it. If there is an increase in juvenile crime then there must be something wrong. That something can only be wrong in two places—in the home and in the school: in one or other or both. I think that members of this House, irrespective of the Party they belong to, as well as public men, teachers, parents and the Church have a great responsibility in this matter. If the curve of juvenile crime is rising rapidly then serious steps should be taken to meet that. Whatever reform is necessary should be instituted to deal with the evil.

There are numerous complaints about the policy of the Department in the matter of the amalgamation of schools. Amalgamation, I suppose, is desirable where it can be carried out in suitable cases, but if the purpose behind it is to save expenditure and, thereby disemploy teachers, it is a policy that is to be regretted. I suppose the case put up for it is that the attendance at the schools concerned has fallen very low. In my own constituency I have heard that the suggestion has been put forward to amalgamate two schools. If such a scheme were carried out there, it would mean that in one case the children would have to be brought away from the foot of a very steep mountain and taken to a school on the opposite side of a valley. The Department suggested that a motor car should be employed to take the children the five or six miles to be travelled. Some of the parents objected to this and wrote to me about it. I believe that the parish priest was anxious that the amalgamation should take place, but apparently the parents revolted. It was discovered, too, that you cannot compel a child who has to travel more than three miles to attend school. The matter dropped in any case. In another case there was a proposal to build the new school which would mean the amalgamation of two existing schools. I do not want to go into details of this case, but I think that this policy can be pushed too far. There are stretches of country where the attendance at schools was quite good in the past, but owing, perhaps, to the passing economic depression marriages have not in recent years been as numerous as in previous years and there are fewer children of school-going age. It does not necessarily follow that that state of affairs will continue.

In barren parts of Donegal it is very drastic to expect children to walk four or five miles to school along a mountain road, where there is no protection, in all kinds of weather. As a matter of fact, I am afraid parents will not agree to that. Whether parents agree or not, it is unnatural to expect children to leave small homes on a winter's day, perhaps poorly clad and poorly fed, and to walk to school in all kinds of weather. Even though the juvenile population has fallen in a district, the present attendance at schools should not be taken as a criterion, and the amalgamation of schools should not be pushed too far. I strongly object to amalgamation when it results in the unemployment of teachers. When schools are amalgamated, it is possible that teachers will be expected to deal with too many children. There are cases in Dublin which are preposterous, where there are from 40 to 50 children in a class. It is idle to suggest that any teacher could teach that number of pupils. It is utterly impossible. By amalgamating schools in the rural areas, the only result will be the displacement of teachers. That will put a burden on those in charge of the amalgamated schools that they will not be capable of performing. No one suggests that a teacher could take a class of adults containing more than ten or 14 persons. If that is so, how can it be suggested that a teacher could take a class of from 40 to 50 young children? I think that is bad educational policy. I think it is folly, and that it cannot be done. In my opinion it is vital that children from six to 12 years should get personal attention from teachers. Unless the groundwork is laid, then it will be difficult to do so afterwards. Where there are proposals for the amalgamation of schools, I suggest to the Minister that he should consider them very carefully, and that he should not take the immediate population as a criterion. Certainly, he should not start cheeseparing on the question of salaries of teachers. That would be taking a very short view and would be penalising education.

Eamonn O Ciosáin

Táim ar aon aigne leis an dTeachta Mac Meanamain gur cheart dúinn an Meastachán so do phlé gan cuimhneamh ar chúrsaí poilitíochta. Sé an Meastachán is mó dá bhfuil le plé againn é, agus, dá bhrígh sin, ba cheart dúinn féachaint chuige go gcaithfear an tairgead sa tslighe is tairbhighe d'oideachas na tíre.

Táim t'réis bheith ag éisteacht leis an dTeachta deireannach a labhair, agus an tagairt a dhein sé don tslighe a bhí uimhir na leanbhaí i scoileanna ceartúcháin mar gheall ar mhí-iompar, ag dul i méid. Níl aon smacht ag Roinn an Oideachais ar an gcúis a chuireann ann iad. Dá mbeadh, déarfainn gur cheart dúinn an scéul do chur tré chéile sa Dáil. Nuair ná fuil, sé mo thuairim ná fuil aon bhaint ag an gceist leis an Meastachán so. Má chuaidh uimhir na leanbhaí sin i méid, b'fhéidir gur faillighe na dtúismitheóirí fe ndeara san, nó rudaí éigin eile a bhaineann le n-a mbeathaidh. Cad é an leigheas atá ag Roinn an Oideachais air sin? Níl le déanamh aca acht an áit a sholáthar dóibh le na gcoimeád. Seanmóin ar dhiadhacht a bhí ar siubhal ag an dTeachta mar sin, agus do b'fhearr cúrsaí diadhachta d'fhágaint fútha san atá ceapaithe chuige, agus gan é chur mar chúram ar an Roinn.

Tairgím go ndéautar tuairisg ar ar deineadh.

Progress reported.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.30 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25th.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Tuesday, 24 Mar 1936

Committee on Finance. - Vote 45—Office of the Minister for Education.

Gearóid MacPharthalán

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Mar 1936