Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will meet a deputation (details supplied) from County Tipperary regarding the upgrading of the centre to full-time status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19362/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The part-time Education Centre covered by the Deputy's question is part of a network of twenty-one full-time and nine part-time Education Centres which are located throughout the Country. The defined role of these Education Centres is to provide professional development and support for teachers and the wider education community, through meeting locally researched and identified teacher and school community needs and also through involvement in national in-service programmes, involving either curricular reform or support on specific issues such as special needs.

A proposal seeking the upgrading of County Tipperary Education Centre from part-time to full-time status was received in my Department from that Centre late last year. This proposal, which will involve an expansion to the current network of the 21 full-time Education Centres, was considered in the context of existing services and with regard to the many competing demands for resources in the area of teacher education as well as the overall resources available to my Department.

Having considered the submission, I am satisfied that the existing Education Centre network, as it is currently constituted, is sufficient to meet the professional development needs of teachers. I will, however, continue to keep the position under review, particularly in light of emerging needs.

Finally, I have asked my officials in the Teacher Education Section of my Department, who are charged with the management and administration of all matters relating to the Education Centre Network, to contact management authorities at the Centre to arrange a meeting to discuss any outstanding matters of concern.