I take the opportunity afforded by the presentation of this Estimate to remind the Minister of some representations made to him by the Governing Body of University College, Galway, and to ask him to give them sympathetic consideration. These representations spring from the desire of the Governing Body to see made pensionable the position of lecturerships through the medium of Irish in Ancient Classics, Education, Mathematics, History and Commerce, attached to the College. On a former occasion when this Estimate was before the House I had the privilege of telling my fellow Deputies of the valuable work equally remarkable from the national as from the cultural and linguistic point of view, done by the holders of these lecturerships. On that occasion the Minister showed his appreciation in a very practical way. He increased the College grant so as to raise the salaries of all these lecturers to the level of £500. I feel now he will be equally sympathetic and that he will help the Governing Body in their efforts to make these lecturerships pensionable.
The reason they were not made pensionable in the beginning was that they were looked upon rather in the nature of an experiment. That experiment involved three questions. One was whether students would be attracted in sufficient numbers to the classes held in Irish on different subjects. That was one question that had to be settled. Another was whether lecturers could be found equally proficient and up to University standards, both in Irish and in the subjects they were called upon to profess. The third question, which was perhaps more vital, was whether Irish in itself, after its long exile from the mart and the council chamber, from the halls of the Universities or from studies of the learned, would be equal to the heavy task imposed upon it.
Was it sensitive enough to reproduce the finest shades of classical interpretation and criticism? Was it so subtly and delicately adjusted as to do justice to the profound principles of philosophy and psychology, underlying the science and art and education? Would it be sinewy and subtle enough to grapple with the realities and the actualities involved in the very modern subjects like economics and commerce?
These were the questions that were before the Minister whose generous help enabled the college to institute the lecturerships. His attitude at that time was expressed in two letters to the President of University College, Galway.
On the 7th March, 1930, the former Minister for Finance stated in a letter to Dr. Anderson:—
"We think that it is not necessary to do anything at present for the existing lecturers through Irish, although we recognise that, if their services are satisfactory and they are reappointed the question of providing for their pensions will have to be dealt with later on."
On the 19th February, 1931, the Minister wrote:—
"The question of providing for the pensions of the persons appointed as well as the pensions of the three lecturers through the medium of Irish already in the college will be dealt with at a later date."
I think the "later date" has now come and I think the three tests to which these lecturerships have been subjected have proved triumphantly successful.
On the question of the number of students attending in each subject of each faculty in Irish during the session 1934-35, I have some statistics here which I think the House will find interesting. In the subject of commerce, our of a total number of 100 students in Galway University College, 74 took the course through the medium of Irish and 26 through the medium of English. In economics, out of a total of 100 students, 74 took the course through the medium of Irish and 26 through English. In physical geography, out of a total of 31 students, 21 took the course through the medium of Irish and ten through the medium of English. In commercial geography, out of 29 students, 20 took the course through the medium of Irish and nine through the medium of English. In Latin, out of eight students, four took the course through the medium of Irish and four through the medium of English. In mathematics, out of 13 students, 11 took the course through the medium of Irish and two through the medium of English. In history, out of 16 students, 14 took the course through the medium of Irish and two through the medium of English.
In the faculty of Arts:—In Greek, out of a total of seven students, six took the course through the medium of Irish and one through the medium of English. In Latin, out of a total of 36 students, 18 took the course through the medium of Irish and 18 through the medium of English. In mathematics, out of 31 students, 20 took the course through the medium of Irish and 11 through the medium of English. In economics, out of 25 students, 14 took the course through the medium of Irish and 11 through the medium of English. In history, out of 41 students, 28 took the course through the medium of Irish and 13 through the medium of English. In education there were 73 ordinary students, of whom 32 took the course through the medium of Irish and 41 through the medium of English.
I think these numbers are sufficiently eloquent. They prove that students have been more responsive to the Irish classes than to the English classes, and they also prove that Irish is equal to the task demanded of it. Galway has been very fortunate in securing for these lecturerships men and women of very high ability, and I am pleased to say the whole language movement owes an enormous debt to them. I also feel that the College ought to be very proud of them because these lecturerships have made more of a reality than many people once thought possible the turning of Galway College into a Gaelic University. For these reasons I ask the Minister to consider sympathetically the plea I make to have the work of these lecturers recognised by making their positions pensionable.
