Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his Department will drop the requirement of field work that makes up an integral part of the biology leaving certificate curriculum in view of his cutbacks on substitute cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44352/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Leaving Certificate Biology syllabus aims to ensure that students attain certain skills which include an ability to carry out practical work, laboratory work and fieldwork activities safely and effectively. According to the revised syllabus, students must study and visit one ecosystem. This fieldwork is essential for the effective teaching and learning in this topic.

The arrangements for the fieldwork can take a variety of forms and can range from day trips to local centres where they are facilitated by tutors to fieldwork undertaken in local parks and within school grounds. I understand that visits which have proved extremely effective have included trips to football pitches, hedgerows, nearby parks and rocky seashores. Leaving Certificate Biology students have weekly double lessons for practical work. Where fieldwork trips are based on the school site, they may be incorporated into a double class period which eliminates the need for substitution.

There has been extensive, nationwide in-service training for Biology teachers in the area of ecology fieldwork techniques, delivered by the Biology Support Service. Teachers should be in a position to be able to deliver this element of the curriculum effectively to students in a variety of locations. In addition, there is on-going support should any teacher feel that they require further support in this area.

The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. Decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. In this respect my Department, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be entirely spared, and I acknowledge the impact of funding restrictions in a number of areas, including at school level. However, these are the inevitable result of the challenging economic environment and the need to manage Exchequer resources prudently.

It is a matter for each school management authority to organise its classes, curriculum, teaching time-table and subject options having regard to pupils' needs within the limits of its approved teacher allocation.

I have no plans to drop the fieldwork component of this subject. It should be noted that my Department continues to pay substantial allowances to teachers for provision of supervision and substitute cover.