Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 516: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason seed funding of €35,000 due to a group (details supplied) has still not been granted; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties this is causing the organisation; the timeframe for payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7612/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The organisation referred to by the Deputy is not due any funding from my Department. Indeed, in respect of Parliamentary Question No. 38275/05 dated 7 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.