Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 427: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if it is proposed to cut funding to a college (details supplied) in Dublin 2; his views on the consequences for the deaf community of such a reduction, in terms of teacher, university lecturer and sign language interpreter education, and educational delivery to deaf and hard of hearing students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43360/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Universities Act, 1997, confers autonomous statutory responsibilities on universities in relation to the day to day management of their affairs and it is a matter for each university to manage their financial resources. The Universities receive a recurrent block grant from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which is the statutory planning and development body for higher education and research in Ireland and is the funding authority for the universities.

I understand from the HEA that in recent years the University referred to by the Deputy requested and received specific funding for the Centre referred to, as part of their overall recurrent grant. The University again made a request to the HEA for specific funding for the Centre for 2009. This request was recently agreed by the HEA and I understand that the Authority has notified the University of the position.

With regards to general recurrent funding allocated by the HEA, it is a matter for each institution to determine how it is allocated internally and each institution may determine the internal disbursement of such funding and may allocate additional funding over and above that earmarked by the HEA if they so wish.