asked the Minister for Education if he intends to extend the grants system to cover solicitors' education; and if he will ask the Incorporated Law Society to accept the leaving certificate as an entry requirement to the solicitors' profession.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Solicitors' Education.
80.
Mr. R. Burke
A grant under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968, may be paid to a student seeking to qualify as a solicitor if he is attending a university degree course and payment of the grant is limited to the duration of such university course. A grant is not payable under the terms of the Act in respect of a period other than the period of the degree course.
Requirements for entry to the solicitors' profession are prescribed by the whole question of entry requirements under review at present.
Would the Minister be able to extend the grant system to those solicitors who approach qualification as solicitors other than by university attendance, and would he use his prestige with the Incorporated Law Society in asking them to accept the legal certificate as an entrance qualification?
Mr. R. Burke
I will use my good offices to do what the Deputy has asked in regard to the last part of his question. In regard to the availability of higher education grants, the Deputy will have noticed from recent publicity that I intend to make some amendments to the 1968 Act. It might be then possible to bring in the solicitors' course for qualification under that Act.