Minister of Finance to Stephen O' Mara

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connecting confidential element Office of the Minister of Finance. Dublin 27th August, 1938 Stephen O'Mara, Esq., Strand House Limerick. 2023 - 10 - 20 / 825 Dear Stephen, With regard to Glenstal College, I have now received communication from the Minister for Education in which he explains that his Department already assists this College by means of Attendance Grants at the normal rate applicable to Technical Schools under private management. These grants amount to approximately L.85 per student per annum. The present application appears to be for a special grant in the nature of Capital Expenditure for the purpose of providing "(a) Workshops, (b) Machinery and other equipment and (c) some rooms for their Irish Novices". Apart from the fact that there is no statutory authority to do so, it is hardly necessary to point out that there are insuperable constitutional obstacles to providing State Funds for such a purpose as (c), i.e., to enable a Religious Order to provide accommodation for some members of its members; and since this College is under private control and management and its buildings and workshops are the absolute property of the Order, there are also serious objections to making grants from State Funds for the erection of workshops or other buildings. As regards the provision of machinery, tools and equipment, Mr Derrig states that his Department might consider the possibility of affording financial assistance for the purpose, but this assistance could be provided only on condition that the College Authorities gave an undertaking that such machinery and equipment would be used only for the purpose of training the students, that it would be maintained in good conditions and returned to the Department of Education in the event of the College being discontinued or no longer recognised by the Department. In view of the difficulties mentioned, the Minister for Education is of opinion that the most convenient and satisfactory way of assisting the College in means of annual attendance grants on the present basis, and should the existing rate of grant be considered insufficient, especially in its earlier years when the College is not fully established, that Department might considered the possibility of providing a special increased scale of grant for a few years. No application for increased financial assistance has been received by the Department of Education from the College Authorities. Yours sincerely, (s.) Sean McEntee Aire Airgeadais