Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 552: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the levels of teachers in-career development funding in each year since 2000; the reason for the significant decrease in funding; her views on whether it will impact adversely on teacher development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9336/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Funding for in-career development for teachers and other school support programmes has increased by just over €10 million since2000. The total amounts provided for each year since 2000 are as follows: Year Expenditure€ (Millions) 2000: €24.79 2001: €26.99 2002: €28.93 2003: €28.68 2004: €28.76 2005: €34.05 2006: €35.05 Over the past ten years, more than €200 million has been invested by my Department in the area of continuous professional development for teachers and other school personnel. During this time my Department has developed teacher education as a continuum, running from pre-service training, induction through to programmes of continuous professional development. Among other things, this investment has seen very significant increases in the provision of special needs training and training aimed specifically at educational disadvantage. In addition, my Department is continuing to build capacity within the education centre network in order to continue to develop a comprehensive and coherent provision of professional development opportunities for local school communities.

I will continue to ensure that there is a continuation of this upward trend of investment in the very important area of continuous professional development for the teaching profession.