asked the Minister for Education if he will state the nature of the investigation carried out as a result of which Baile Chiaragáin School (No. 13127), Contae Dún na nGall, was removed, as from the 1st July, 1945, from the list of schools scheduled as being in the Fíor-Ghaeltacht; if he will state when, by whom, and in what manner the investigations were carried out; and when and by whom any evidence was given on the question as to whether or not Irish was generally spoken as the language of the homes in the Baile Chiaragáin school district.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Baile Chiaragáin School.
I consider it desirable to preface my reply to the Deputy's question by stating, for his information, the position in regard to the registration of schools as Fíor-Ghaeltacht schools.
Rule 121 (1) of the Rules and Regulations for National Schools states that—
"where the Minister is satisfied that a school is situate in a district where Irish is generally spoken as the language of the homes, and where a considerable proportion of the children coming to school for the first time know Irish only or know Irish better than English",
the special increase in the teacher's salary referred to therein may be granted. Schools in which the conditions mentioned are fulfilled to the satisfaction of the Minister for Education, are placed on a list and the various privileges available in respect of Fíor-Ghaeltacht schools (i.e., increase in the teacher's salary and the special concessions to pupils of these schools in connection with admission to the teaching profession) are accorded in respect of these schools as long as they are retained on the list. But the fact that a school is not scheduled as Fíor-Ghaeltacht does not involve the refusal of the £5 grant to those households in which the conditions for that grant, as specified in Rule 121 (4), are fulfilled.
The number of children whose only language or whose first language, on coming to school for the first time, is Irish, determines whether a school situate in an Irish-speaking district should be scheduled or continue to be scheduled as Fíor-Ghaeltacht. That number depends, in turn, on the extent to which Irish is the home language of the children of the district attending the school and can be conveniently gauged by the number of such children in respect of whom the Department's £5 grant—formerly £2—is awarded. For administrative purposes, the Department ordinarily expects that this grant be awarded annually in respect of at least 50 per cent. of the children, within the proper age limits, in attendance at the school, if the school is to be scheduled under the rule in question.
As regards Baile Chiaragáin National School, the position was that the percentage of eligible children in respect of whom the grant was awarded each year was ascertained as a result of investigation made locally by the Department's inspector, who carried out such examination and inquiries as he deemed proper (including visits to the children's homes where necessary) to ensure that the conditions for payment of the grant were fulfilled in each case. The results of these investigations for some years prior to 1944-45 showed a continuous decline in the number of eligible children who qualified for the grant and, as the percentage figure for 1944-45 was much below 50 per cent., the school was removed from the list of schools scheduled under rule 121 (1), as from the 1st July, 1945.
It was not considered necessary to obtain additional evidence of the kind mentioned by the Deputy, since that would not have been, as already stated, the determining factor in the decision.
As a result of representations made to me by the manager and others regarding this case and in order to ensure that no injustice was involved, a special investigation was subsequently made locally by the inspector. I regret that the evidence furnished did not warrant any departure from the decision already made.
Notwithstanding the removal of the school from the list, the £5 grant continues to be paid to the parents in the district in whose cases the required conditions are fulfilled.
If in respect of the current or any future year, the results of the annual inquiries, made in connection with the award of the £5 grant, show that the conditions necessary for the rescheduling of this school as a Fíor-Ghaeltacht school are fulfilled, the question of its restoration to the list, as from the 1st July of the year concerned, will be investigated.
Will the Minister say when and by whom and in what manner were the investigations carried out that decided him originally to remove the school from the list?
Baile Chiaragáin National School was first scheduled as a Fíor-Ghaeltacht school in the schoolyear '33-34. When, in May, 1946, the position of Fíor-Ghaeltacht schools was being examined on the basis of the results of the £2 grant, it was ascertained that the position was that in the case of that school the numbers of children entitled to the grant had considerably declined. As a result of this information, it was decided to remove the school from the list of the Fíor-Ghaeltacht schools, as I have stated, and the manager was so informed. Subsequently, I carried out a special investigation; I gave the Deputy the figures in reply to a previous question setting out the position as regards children attending this school.
Yes, but the Minister, in his answer, implied that before the school was originally removed from the list investigations had been carried out locally, including visits to the children's homes. I asked the Minister in respect of these preliminary investigation—that is, before the examination and re-examination; that is before June, 1946—when and by whom and in what manner were the investigations that he speaks of carried out?
The investigations, I take it, were carried out by the local inspector who was dealing with this matter. As the Deputy knows, the local inspector in the Fíor-Ghaeltacht areas is entrusted with reporting upon the applications of pupils within his area for this grant and the Department is guided by his observations and the reports which he makes.
Do I understand from the Minister that he is not in a position to say the particular dates and the particular type of investigation that was carried out before originally he removed the school from the list?
The investigation was carried out, as I have said, by the local inspector. He carried out the regulations which have been laid down, which have been in operation for a number of years and which seem to cover the Department's policy.
Can the Minister say was that prior to June, 1946?
I have not the exact date.
Well, has the Minister gone into the report?
Yes, I have gone into the question generally.
But has the Minister seen the report on the separate investigations that were made before June, 1946?
I have seen the inspector's report.
I take it that the Minister will answer some questions which I will put down in detail later.
Surely these teachers who had been virtually doing nothing during the strike and who have received their normal pay, plus bonus, for strike breaking, might be asked to furnish this information?
I do not think it is necessary.
Of course the Minister knows it is embarrassing.
No.