Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1975 > Committee of Public Accounts > Interim and Final Report - Appropriation Accounts 1972 - 1973

APPENDIX 15.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION—LANGUAGE RESEARCH, FELLOWSHIPS, PUBLICATIONS IN IRISH

7 Iúil, 1975.

Cléireach an Choiste,

An Coiste um Chuntais Phoblí,

Teach Laighean,

Baile Átha Cliath, 2.

During the course of my examination before the Committee on the 24th April, 1975 I undertook to supply notes in relation to Subheads B.5., C.4., and D.1. of Vote 27—Office of the Minister for Education.

B. 5—Language Research: As I indicated during the course of my examination the saving in 1972/73 was due to the necessity to defer certain proposed projects relating to special experimental Irish Courses in primary and postprimary schools as a result of the personnel operating the applied language research having been temporarily assigned to other urgent work. Again in 1973/74 it was not found possible to arrange local courses or to undertake the preparation of audio-visual material. Considerable progress in this regard has since been made, however, to the extent that expenditure in the financial period 1st April to 31st December, 1974 was somewhat in excess of the provision for that period and the provision for 1975 is also likely to prove inadequate.

C.4—Fellowships: The purpose of the Senior Visiting Fellowships is to enable senior scientists and engineers from Ireland to go abroad for short periods to study new techniques and developments. The scheme is administered by the Royal Irish Academy on behalf of the Department of Education. The Academy advertises the fellowships in the Irish Daily newspapers in December and notifies the universities and research institutes. The closing date for the receipt of applications is in February. A selection committee recommends candidates and grants. The grants are paid by the Department of Education.

The scheme for Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships in Science and Engineering is administered by the Department of Education. Its purpose is to enable persons with a Ph.D. or equivalent research experience to devote two or three years to an approved programme of research at an Irish university or at certain Irish research institutes. The scheme is advertised annually in December in the Irish daily newspapers, New Scientist, Nature, and the Irish Engineers Journal. Details are sent also to the relevant Irish university departments and to certain universities abroad. The closing date for the receipt of applications is in February.

D.1—Publications in Irish: On the basis of present arrangements the expectation is that the new Irish-English Dictionary will be available not later than the end of June, 1976.