Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1950 > Committee of Public Accounts > Interim and Final Report - Appropriation Accounts 1947 - 1948

APPENDIX XII.

REID BEQUEST

For the purpose of the administration of the Reid Bequest (Section A) it is the official practice to ask the Divisional Inspector in charge of Co. Kerry at the beginning of each triennial period to recommend the six most efficient boys’ schools in that county amongst which the income available under Section A of the bequest should be distributed. When the six schools are finally accepted by the Department, the Divisional Inspector is requested to consult the managers of the schools as to the best way of expending the cash grant to assist boys of limited means to attend the schools more effectively.

The school-year 1947/48 was the first year of the current triennial period. M. Ó Cinnsealaigh, Uas., who was the Divisional Inspector in charge of Kerry in 1947/48, was absent owing to illness and personal vacation from 4/7/47 to 10/10/47, and the required list of six boys’ schools was not received from him until 24/12/47. He was asked on 6/2/1948 to confer with the managers of the six selected schools as to the best way of expending the cash available for distribution, and his report was not received until 30/4/48. In the circumstances, the moneys payable in respect of the 1947/48 school year was not actually paid until the 1948/49 financial year. The payable orders issued to the managers on 14/6/48. As far as can be ascertained, there is no specified period within which the cash available for any school year should be paid to the managers of the six schools selected.

FATHER O’HALLORAN MEMORIAL FUND

Under an order of the High Court, dated 23rd May, 1938, the income from the Father O’Halloran Memorial Fund is applied each year to the award of two prizes to the boy and girl respectively between the ages of 12 and 14 years residing in the district of Grane, Co. Kilkenny, and attending a National School therein, who, in the opinion of the Minister for Education, show the greatest proficiency in all the subjects forming the ordinary National School programme.

To determine the boy and girl showing the greatest proficiency, an examination is held in October each year by the Inspector in the following subjects: Irish, Oral and Written; English, Oral and Written; Arithmetic; History; Geography; Music; and, for the girls, Needlework.

When the results of the 1947 examination became available, it was found that only two candidates—one boy and one girl—had been examined. It was necessary to have inquiries made as to whether there were eligible candidates who had not been examined, and if so, for what reason. There were, in fact, two other eligible candidates, but one was absent from school with eye trouble, and the other had left school and was leaving the district. Consideration had to be given also to the case of a girl from the district who appeared, from the results of the Primary Certificate Examination, 1947, to have been a possible candidate but who had not been examined. It was found that the girl had left the district to attend a boarding school.

When it was finally decided to award the prizes to the two candidates who had been examined by the Inspector, the manager of the school was asked to furnish the usual certificate as to residence in the district (as defined in the Court Order) and period of attendance at a National School in the district, together with a Registrar’s certificate of birth in each case. These necessary formalities were not completed before the close of the financial year 1947/48; payable orders in respect of the prizes were forwarded to the manager in July, 1948.