John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the annual cost of school development and planning programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43418/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The School Development Planning Initiative (SDPI) is a support service established by my Department to assist and strengthen a culture of collaborative development planning in post primary schools, with a view to promoting school improvement and effectiveness and to further the process of whole school planning.

The SDPI is based in Marino Institute of Education and has a team of one national co-ordinator and eleven regional co-ordinators.

For 2007 a total of €1,370,737 was allocated to this programme by my Department and for 2008 the programme had an allocation of €1,381,270.

The School Development Planning Service (SDPS) was a support service established by my Department to assist and strengthen a culture of collaborative development planning in primary schools.

The Primary Curriculum Support Programme (PCSP) has joined with the SDPS to become the PPDS (Primary Professional Development Service) in 2008/09. From September 2008, the first steps were taken towards the creation of a cohesive single professional development support service for the primary sector. The new service will, in time, merge other primary support services and, while continuing to provide professional development programmes in response to system priorities, will be primarily concerned with the provision of customised support to schools and teachers. The organisation, which is managed by Dublin West Education Centre, has begun offering support to schools. Prior to September 2008 the SDPS had been based in Drumcondra Education Centre.

For 2007 a total of €1,040,532 was allocated to this programme by my Department and for 2008 the programme had an allocation of €1,046,830.