asked the Minister for Education if it is the policy of the Government to retain the religious orders for secondary education; and if he will make a statement on this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Provision of Secondary Education.
43.
I have made it clear on numerous occasions that it was never contemplated even for one moment that the religious orders should not continue to play a foremost part in the provision of secondary education. The fact that there are now far more generous grants than ever before, capital and otherwise, available for all secondary schools, the vast majority of which are being conducted by religious orders, should of itself be sufficient evidence of this.
Is the Minister not aware of the widespread anxiety among religious as to what are the long term intentions of the Government in this regard and is the Minister not aware that possibly due to the appearance of certain articles in a periodical in respect of which I have asked questions recently of the Minister for Education the view is crystallised in the minds of many that the long term policy of the Department is to create a school structure which makes it impossible for the religious to continue to function? May we take it as absolutely certain that any school at present operated under the direction of a religious order may assume that its present functions will be sustained and supported by the Government in the future as they have been in the past?
Yes. I think everybody is aware of the unease in the minds of the owners of these schools, and this is not just something that happened recently. Some years ago when the Government studied the educational system from a social aspect they found that there was an excellent educational system available to a fraction, a big fraction but still a fraction, of the population and they decided on making education, post-primary and other types, available to all the children in the community. This required the taking of action which caused anxiety in the minds of the owners of the established system. The Government in no way intend to take from these people what they have. Our intention has always been to give every child a chance. We have never, at any time, belittled the contribution made by these orders and the excellence of it for those who got it. I do not know how I can give a stronger assurance than the Minister had prepared here but which he was unable to give himself.
In order to remove the malaise, of which the Minister himself is conscious, among religious orders, may I ask if I would be correct in saying that it is the policy of the Government to extend to existing establishments operated by religious the same measure of support in future as they have received in the past?
Yes. It has been increased in recent years.