Arising out of my reply to Question No. 2 on yesterday's Order Paper regarding educational facilities for members of the Permanent Defence Force, Deputy Dowling inquired whether non-commissioned officers and privates would have an opportunity of attending the university in Galway. In reply I stated that they would provided they had the same educational qualifications. I regret that my reply to the supplementary question may have created the impression that the scheme under which cadets are sent to attend degree courses in University College, Galway, was being extended to enable non-commissioned officers and privates to attend such courses. In replying to Deputy Dowling I had in mind the continuance of the arrangement whereby in each year's competition for Army cadetships one-third of the vacancies are reserved for certain members of the Defence Forces and any such member who is awarded a cadetship and is educationally qualified to attend university is required to attend University College, Galway, as part of the second year of his cadet course.
As I indicated in my reply to the Dáil question, there is also an arrangement whereby non-commissioned officers and privates who attend certain third-level courses of education in their own time may, subject to certain conditions, be refunded the tuition and examination fees involved.
I thank the Chair and the House for affording me the opportunity of giving this explanation to Deputy Dowling.
