Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be approved under the devolved grant for small schools scheme. [5600/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The School Planning Section of the Department is in receipt of an application under the Small Schools Scheme 2007 from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. Applications under this scheme are currently being assessed and the list of successful applicants will be announced shortly.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason her Department has not provided €35,000 in a grant to a group (details supplied) which was agreed over 12 months ago and which to date has not been forthcoming; if, in view of the support of the joint education and science committee for this project within primary and secondary education, she will immediately organise grant aid to this body for the sum agreed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5601/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is not aware of any agreement in respect of a grant to the group referred to by the Deputy. Indeed, in respect of Parliamentary Question No. 38275/05 dated 7th December 2005 and other representations on this matter, it was made clear that my Department does not provide direct funding for special interest groups such as that referred to by the Deputy.

Schools have considerable discretion as to how the funding allocated by my Department should be best utilised in the interests of their students. Should a school accord sufficient priority to a project offered by the group then the school would be free to engage with them in this regard.