asked the Minister for Education if he will indicate the cost of maintaining the Institute of Advanced Studies and the nature of its activity; and, further, if he will state whether any reports have been published by the institute; and, if so, their nature.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Institute for Advanced Studies.
The estimated cost of maintaining the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies during the financial year 1950-51 is £55,300, which is apportioned as follows:—
(1) Grants towards the expenses of the administration of the institute (established under the Institute for Advanced Studies Act, 1940) and the constituent schools—£8,785.
(2) Grants in respect of the School of Celtic Studies (established under Statutory Order No. 308, 1940)— £15,175.
(3) Grants in respect of the School of Theoretical Physics (established under Statutory Order No. 309, 1940) —£9,810.
(4) Grants in respect of the School of Cosmic Physics (established under Statutory Order No. 77, 1947)—£21,230.
The nature of the institute's activity is as given in Section 3 (1) of the Act of 1940, viz.:—
"The functions of the institute shall be to provide facilities for the furtherance of advanced study and for the conduct of research in specialised branches of knowledge and for the publication of the results of advanced study and research whether carried on under the auspices of the institute or otherwise."
The institute publishes, in accordance with Section 29 of the Act, an annual report of its work and on that of the constituent colleges, which report is presented by the council of the institute to the Minister for Education, for submission to the Government, and which is laid before each House of the Oireachtas and is available in the Library to members of the Oireachtas.
The last report submitted by the Minister to the Government and laid before the Oireachtas is that of 1947-48. The annual report for 1948-49 will be presented to the Oireachtas within the next month.
The annual report indicates the extent and nature of the research work, and of the publications resulting therefrom, which is carried out by the institute and by each of the constituent schools during the year concerned.