asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the growing interest in the adult education courses promoted by University College, Cork, and the disappointment felt at the curtailment in many areas of these courses consequent on the reduction of the Government grant from £4,000 to £2,500; and, if so, if he will consider paying the full grant to enable the courses to be held over as wide an area as possible.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Adult Education Courses.
I am aware of the great interest taken in the adult education courses promoted by University College, Cork, and my Department has facilitated these courses in every way in its power and has co-operated to the full in regard to them.
The history of the grant is as follows:—
The first Government grant was given in 1949-50 and was £1,700.
In 1950-51 it was increased to £2,500 and has remained since at that figure.
In 1951-52, however, University College, Cork, found that it had incurred up to then a deficit of about £1,500 on the courses, and the Government was requested to provide £1,500 extra in 1952-53 to cover this deficit.
This the Government agreed to do, and at the same time the President of University College, Cork, was notified that "the additional funds [i.e., the £1,500 over and above the normal £2,500] are for the sole purpose of clearing the deficit to date", that the Government could not accept responsibility for any future deficits and so that the grant for future years could not again exceed £2,500.
From the beginning, therefore, the grant to University College, Cork, has been the exact sum requested. The extra £1,500 provided this year is to liquidate a debt for the incurring of which the Government had no responsibility.
It is therefore not a fact that the Government grant towards these courses has been reduced.
In view of the value and importance of these courses, would the Minister not consider the making of some additional grant to enable them to be carried on on a full scale?
I have no objection to considering the increasing of the grant on request, but I do object to the spate of inspired demands from urban councils and trades unions on the basis that there has been a reduction of the grant to University College, Cork. There has not been.
I can appreciate the Minister's annoyance on the matter, but the mere fact that some demands have been made and, possibly, that statements which were not quite correct were uttered——
Let me correct the Deputy. There has been no request for additional funds. There has been a suggestion that the grant last year was £4,000 and that it has been reduced by £1,500. That is not correct.
I am not suggesting that the Minister is saying something which is incorrect, but to the ordinary man in the street the fact that the grant was £4,000 last year and £2,500 this year means that it was cut down. I would appeal to the Minister, despite these irrelevancies if you like, to reconsider the position and to increase the grant.
May I say that from my information there was no reduction in the grants, but a number of men and women throughout the country were anxious to attend these social science courses. They were unable to do so because the amount of money available was not sufficient. Would the Minister consider giving a further grant of £1,500 so that these people might be facilitated?
I shall, if you like.