Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the funding being allocated for science in schools in 2005. [13803/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A new science curriculum has been introduced at primary level supported by a resource grant in December 2004 of €1000 per school plus €10.00 per pupil. The total cost of the grant was €7.739 million.

Revised syllabi in junior certificate science and in leaving certificate physics, chemistry and biology have been introduced. The introduction of the revised syllabi has been supported by comprehensive inservice programmes for teachers, for example, some 62,000 training days for teachers at an estimated cost of €5.6 million was provided in 2002 and 2003 to support these programmes. An estimated €920,000 in 2004 and €980,000 in 2005 is being spent on inservice training for second level science teachers. At primary level, the estimated cost of inservice training for teachers to support the science curriculum is €376,000 in 2004 and €480,000 in 2005.

Additional equipment grants have been provided to schools, and laboratories continue to be refurbished as part of the ongoing schools building programme. In that context, €16 million was issued to schools in 2004 to support the implementation of the revised junior certificate science syllabus.

Investment in the programme of research in third level institutes is continuing apace to enhance and promote world class standards in research, innovation and development. Between this programme and the various grants to the research councils, and other sources, an estimated €101.5 million will be invested in third level institutions in this area in 2005. This builds on investment over the period 2002-04 of €213.7 million in this area.

I have recently announced a provision of €750,000 towards the cost of the BA festival of science which is being hosted by Trinity College this year.