Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made on the implementation of the recommendations of the task force on the physical sciences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7863/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is fully committed to strengthening the quality of science teaching and learning, promoting increased scientific literacy and encouraging more students to choose science subjects at senior cycle and progress to third level options in this critical area as a vitally important part of the national strategy to support competitiveness and employment. This work continues to be progressed and enhanced as resources permit in collaboration and consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Forfás and industry.

Important progress is being made in regard to curricular reform and in-service support, with new syllabi already implemented in leaving certificate biology, physics and chemistry. Revised syllabi in primary science and junior certificate science began in schools in 2003/04 and work is under way on a new leaving certificate physical sciences syllabus to replace the physics and chemistry combined syllabus. All of these developments are being or have been supported by national in-service programmes for teachers.

The junior certificate revised syllabus, with its hands-on investigate approach requiring the completion of 30 mandatory experiments, will be particularly important in encouraging more pupils to continue science in senior cycle. For 2004-05 the revised syllabus in junior certificate science is mandatory in all schools except those which have been given a derogation on the basis of having inadequate facilities. Only three schools applied for a derogation. Every effort will be made to bring their facilities to the required level by September 2005.

Resourcing provides an additional per capita grant for physics and chemistry at leaving certificate; a capital grants programme for senior cycle science ICT and science equipment; and the implementation of a once-off grant scheme to support the implementation of the new junior certificate science syllabus. A sum of €16 million has been invested in school laboratory facilities in 2004, through equipment grants linked to the introduction of the revised JC science syllabus and targeted refurbishment of schools labs most in need.

Important progress is also being made in ICT integration projects in teaching and learning under the schools IT initiative and the TV scope programme in partnership with RTE, NCCA and the National Centre for Technology in Education; provision of materials and publications to schools to promote the attractiveness and relevance of science for students as a subject option and career path; reviews on mathematics, grading of subjects in the leaving certificate, gender equity issues in science and initial reports on teacher training undertaken; and awareness measures supported by industry and third level colleges linking with schools and the launch of the new "Discover Science and Engineering" programme in October 2003 bringing together all the existing awareness activities in a unified strategy.

Investment in the programme for research in third level institutes is continuing apace to enhance and promote world class standards in research, innovation and development.