Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review his decision to discontinue the subvention towards reasonable expenses incurred by course organisers in providing inservice courses for personnel working in primary and post-primary schools. [4882/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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In addition to funding a number of national support services, for example, in the areas of curricular reform and special needs, my Department supports a wide range of continuing professional development programmes provided by a network of education centres at local level for personnel working in primary and post-primary schools. In this regard, the in-career development unit of my Department funds 21 full-time education centres and nine part-time centres to deliver this service. In the past the unit also provided limited financial support to a range of other course providers-organisers for other elective programmes of inservice to the extent that resources permitted having regard to other commitments and priorities. This included direct support to schools which applied to my Department rather than to their local education centre.

Direct support to schools and other bodies and groups is no longer being made by my Department to rationalise matters and to make the best use of available resources. Schools and others are advised to contact their local education centre, whose role it is to provide local inservice and support, advice and assistance to schools and their personnel in these matters. This approach will help avoid duplication and make the best use of available resources.

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the decision to discontinue the subvention to the French Teachers' Association in Fingal towards inservice courses in August 2004, given that such courses have always been well attended and have been found to be most beneficial to the teachers involved. [4883/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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In addition to funding a number of national support services, for example in the areas of curricular reform and special needs, my Department supports a wide range of continuing professional development programmes provided by a network of education centres at local level for personnel working in primary and post-primary schools. In this regard the in-career development unit of my Department funds 21 full-time education centres and nine part-time centres to deliver this service. In the past the unit also provided limited financial support to a range of other course providers-organisers, including the French Teachers' Association, for other elective programmes of inservice to the extent that resources permitted having regard to other commitments and priorities. This included the French Teachers' Association and schools that applied to my Department rather than to their local education centre.

Direct support to schools and other bodies and groups is no longer being made by my Department in order to rationalise matters and to make the best use of available resources. Schools and others are advised to contact their local education centre, whose role it is to provide local inservice and support, advice and assistance to schools and their personnel in these matters. This approach will help avoid duplication and make the best use of available resources.