Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Revival of Irish Language.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the estimated total annual cost to the taxpayers and the ratepayers of the steps which have been taken by the Government to make Eire an Irish-speaking State, including (a) the annual cost of teaching the Irish language in primary and secondary schools and universities; (b) the annual cost of translating and printing official documents in the Irish language; (c) the various annual grants in aid of the Irish language; and (d) other annual expenditures in the revival of the Irish language.
Comment on this
As the answer consists mainly of tabular statements, I propose to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the answer:
It is estimated that in the financial year 1941-42 contributions amounting in the aggregate to £25,500, were provided by rating authorities out of rates towards the cost of the teaching of Irish under vocational education schemes of vocational education committees.
The provision included in the Estimates for Public Services for the financial year 1942-43 is set out in the subjoined tables, under heads indicating the different categories of expenditure which contributes to the advancement of the Irish language. It amounts in the aggregate to the sum of £319,993. It will be observed that the expenditure under heads II and III is, in the main, not specifically directed to the development of Irish as a spoken language, and is of a kind which would probably be incurred irrespective of policy directed towards the restoration of the language.
I.
EXPENDITURE hypothecated directly for the advancement of the language.
II.
EXPENDITURE on language projects which have primarily an academic bearing and which might be undertaken, irrespective of the language drive, in the interests of Irish scholarship.
III.
EXPENDITURE on schemes or services which, although contributing to the advancement of Irish, nevertheless serve other purposes. In this category will be found provisions related to the relief of distress and congestion in Gaeltacht areas, the replacement of the monitorial and pupil-teacher system of training national teachers by the Preparatory College system and the relief of unemployment amongst national teachers.