asked the Minister for Education whether the honours Bachelor of Education degree recently sanctioned by the National University of Ireland will attract an honours degree increment.

The Deputy is presumably referring to the allowance payable for first or second honours in a primary degree award. The question as to whether such an allowance will arise in connection with the Bachelor of Education degree will be considered in due course when the position in relation to awards of that degree has been formally indicated.

Would it not seem that the just thing to do would be to make the decision in view of the fact that it is to be a recognised honours university degree?

As soon as the Department are formally notified by the universities and colleges of the degrees they are awarding and when they are awarding them we will make the announcement.