Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will respond to a request for funding on behalf of the union of school students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19893/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I met with representatives of the Union of Secondary Students last year and amongst other things, we discussed the question of financial support from my Department for the Union.

I have informed the Union of Secondary Students that I am willing to consider requests from their organisation for financial assistance for specific projects such as their annual general meeting or the hosting of conferences. My Department recently sanctioned grant assistance to support the 2006 annual general meeting of the Union and also provided conference facilities to support the meeting at my Department's offices in Marlborough Street.

I do not think it appropriate for my Department to contribute to the running of a representative body such as USS. My Department does not provide such funding for the Union of Students in Ireland, nor indeed for the teaching unions.