asked the Minister for Education the total number of students who sat for the 1973 leaving certificate examination; and the number, excluding those from the Gaeltacht or from all-Irish schools, to whom higher education grants have been awarded solely on the basis of an honour mark in Gaeilge and two other subjects.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
39.
Mr. R. Burke
The total number of students who sat for the leaving certificate examination, 1973, was 29,624. Grants under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968, have been awarded to 249 students, excluding those whose homes are in the Gaeltacht and those who attended schools in which all pupils received all their instruction through Irish, who satisfied the requirements relating to attainments by virtue of having obtained grade C or a higher grade in higher level papers in Irish and in higher or common level papers in two other subjects at the leaving certificate examination, 1973.
Would the Minister accept that in the circumstances that he has revealed the odds against leaving certificate students getting one of these higher education grants would be in excess of 100 to one?
Mr. R. Burke
If the Deputy tells me so I will accept it.
The Minister does not always accept it.
Mr. R. Burke
I am always delighted to be helpful.
In those circumstances would the Minister accept that this does not represent what he would regard as a wonderful inducement for our students to study the subject Gaeilge?
Mr. R. Burke
As usual the Deputy is not looking at the whole context here. He forgets that we have removed compulsory Irish from the certificate examinations since last April and that this, in itself, provides the greatest possible incentive to the students to get on with their studies.
Will the Minister agree that he is changing his tune? He has been suggesting that this represented an inducement to students to study Irish.
Mr. R. Burke
I have not changed my tune, if I ever had a tune in this regard. I still regard this as an incentive and will continue to maintain that position.
The Chair is anxious to press on to the next question.