Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the projected cost of allocating laboratory assistants to secondary schools to support the teaching of science; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34196/06]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the estimated cost of providing laboratory assistants for science subjects in post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34111/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 152 together.

Student practical work has been a major feature of science syllabi at both junior and senior cycle levels for many years and science teachers have long experience of carrying out programmes of practical work with their students. Up until recently, this practical work has been assessed through the medium of written papers in the Certificate examinations only.

The revised Junior Certificate Science syllabus introduced in 2003 differs from the previous syllabus in a number of ways that are intended to make the subject more relevant to students' needs in the twenty-first century and to provide the students with a richer educational experience. One of the major changes is that the students' practical work is now directly assessed as part of the Junior Certificate examination.

In addition to the revised Junior Certificate syllabus, revised syllabi have already been fully implemented for Leaving Certificate Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

The introduction of curricular change in the sciences has been supported in a range of ways. There have been comprehensive in-career development programmes for teachers and a major focus of these programmes has been to support teachers in providing an appropriate experience of practical work for their students. Additional funding for equipment and resources has also been provided. For example, some €16 million was made available to schools in 2004 for the purchase of equipment and the refurbishment of school laboratories to support the introduction of the revised Junior Certificate Science syllabus.

I have no plans at present to make provision for laboratory technicians. In the Report of the Task Force on the Physical Sciences it was estimated that the cost of providing technicians at second level was €18.8m per annum at 2002 prices. Provision of technicians in this area would undoubtedly lead to demands for similar assistance across other areas of the curriculum where there is a strong practical component. It is my understanding that the availability of laboratory technicians has not been a universal feature of support for science teaching in second level schools and that in some countries that do provide this type of resource it is confined to certain types of schools. However, I will keep the matter under review.