Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her Department will provide funding for a school (details supplied) in County Mayo to run a course of sign language; the way in which this school should seek funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34463/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have contacted the relevant Department with responsibility for this matter and they have supplied me with the following information. Each school offering Transition Year devises its own programme in accordance with the needs, interests and abilities of its own particular student cohort. The Department of Education and Science has issued guidelines to assist schools on their planning and the Second Level Support Service provides specific support to teachers of Transition Year students. In planning its Transition Year programme the school must pay due regard to the resources available to it. These include a special grant of €63.49 which is paid in respect of each Transition Year student who is in the free education scheme. Additional funding is not provided to individual schools to run specific courses in areas such as Sign Language.