asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the increases in costs affecting students in universities and secondary schools; and if he will increase grants to relieve the hardship thus caused to many students and their parents.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Student Grants.
23.
As I stated in the House on 30th March last, special financial provision was made to enable university fees of holders of higher education grants in the academic year 1970-71 to be kept at the level obtaining in 1969-70. I do not propose at present to make any further increase in the grants in question. Post-primary education is available free of charge to all pupils together with free transport where needed, and free books and accessories are provided for necessitous pupils. There is therefore no increase in the cost of education for pupils at this level.
Is it true that there has been no increase at all in these grants in recent years despite the huge increase in the cost of living?
I am ensuring that those who are most in need and who have the ability to make most use of the money available are looked after.
What does the Minister mean by "looked after"?
I have already pointed out to the Deputy what I did in the past year when changes were made in the levels of fees to assist students who were already obtaining grants from the Department.
This does not help them to meet the cost of living.
The Deputy is aware that despite the very considerable amount of money being made available for educational purposes, nevertheless in specific instances it is difficult to increase the amount.
Will the Minister not accept that many secondary school authorities and many families are experiencing growing financial difficulties because of the failure to revise upwards the £25per capita grant fixed in 1966-67? Surely the Minister will accept that this figure should be revised to an amount of £33 or £35 at least in the light of the increase in the cost of living alone since the £25 grant was fixed?
I do not accept what the Deputy says. In 1966-67 the grant in very many cases was much lower than £25. In fact, the grant was gradually increased over a couple of years. I think the grant being made available at the present time is reasonable.
Surely the Minister will accept that it is quite wrong——
We cannot discuss this question all afternoon. The Deputy may put a question only.
I said "Surely the Minister will accept"—that is a rhetorical question. Does the Minister accept that the level of £25 fixed in 1966-67 is now completely inadequate? Many of the schools which opted into the scheme would not have done so had they known that they would have to wait for at least five or ten years before any revision was made regarding grants. Surely the Minister will accept the logic of keeping in step with the cost of living?
I have already explained to the Deputy that I do not accept what he says. I have pointed out that in very many of the schools in 1966-67, the fee being charged prior to the introduction of free education was very much lower than £25. In fact, in the following years the grant in the case of these schools was raised until finally it became £25.
One final supplementary——
Would the Deputy try to shorten his supplementaries? They seem to be very long.
That is an Irishman's habit. There are a large number of post-primary schools—I could name half a dozen large schools in south County Dublin—where the annual fees payable in 1966 were from £40 to £60. A classic example is the Christian Brothers' Oatlands College where the fee in 1966-67 was £39. Such schools opted for the system in good faith but they cannot be expected to continue to survive on the £25 system on the basis of a refusal to adjust the fee.
Is the Deputy suggesting that we should differentiate between the fees payable to different schools?
I am not.