Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 570: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will make available funding to encourage and subsidise activities by the student councils in second level schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8978/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Funding is provided for schools on a per capita basis which affords then considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. This is, in general, a preferable approach to putting in place grants for specific items such as student councils. A working group on student councils which is chaired by the National Children's Office and representative of students and all the partners in education was set up to encourage the establishment of effective and democratic student councils in all post-primary schools in the country. The working group will report on their findings, including a proposed three-year strategy to support the establishment and development of student councils, to the Minister of State with special responsibility for children by June 2005.