asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state for the year 1959-60 how many scholarships have been awarded by An Bord Scoláireachtaí Cómalairte, the objects of each such scholarship, the name of the institutions where each person awarded a scholarship or grant will pursue his or her study, and the total value of scholarships awarded.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - An Bord Scoláireachtaí Cómalairte: Scholarship Awards.
As the reply is rather long and contains a number of figures and lists I propose with the permission of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to circulate the desired information in the official Report.
The total number of scholarships awarded in respect of the academic year 1959/60 is 40, of which 7 were awarded to American lecturers, 3 to American students, 2 to Irish lecturers and 28 to Irish students including 1 specialist grant and 13 "Travel Only" grants, the recipients of which had made their own arrangements for study and maintenance in the U.S.A.
The scholarships awarded to American lecturers and students cover American History, Anthropology, Chemistry, Comparative Philology, Drama, Economics, History, Literature, Theoretical Mathematics. The particular fields of study of the Irish recipients of scholarships and grants are American Studies, Economics and Management, Medicine, Pure and Applied Science and Theatre Arts.
The American lecturers and students have been availing themselves of the scholarships awarded to them at the University Colleges of Cork, Dublin and Galway, and at Trinity College, Dublin. The Irish recipient of the specialist grant has attended courses at a number of different centres. The Irish lecturers and students have gone to the Catholic University of Washington, Columbia, University, Fordham University, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Michigan State University, Stanford University, Syracuse University, Wharton School of Finance, Philadelphia, and Yale University.
As the year 1959/60 has not yet ended it is not possible to give at this stage the total expenditure in respect of the awards made by An Bord Scoláireachtaí Cómalairte in respect of the academic year 1959/60. It is estimated, however, to amount to approximately £27,000. It should be mentioned at the same time that, as I informed the Deputy in reply to a previous question on the 11th June last, the awards of An Bord do not normally cover maintenance and tuition fees in the U.S.A. of Irish recipients, such costs being borne by the American Universities in which the holders are placed. In the case of the American lecturers and students who come to this country, on the other hand, the awards made by An Bord cover, not only fares, but also maintenance and tuition fees.