Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 705: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 218 of 25 February 2009, the impact of this timetable in view of spending cuts within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15630/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is intended that Project Maths will be an important priority in relation to the overall call on resources in the education sector. Teachers will be fully supported to implement the reforms in Mathematics in second level schools.

The Project Maths initiative is designed to encourage better understanding of Maths, to reinforce the practical relevance of maths to everyday life, and to ensure better continuity between primary and second level, and junior and senior cycle. The initiative started in 2008 and is being piloted in 24 schools. The curriculum changes will be phased in over three years and mainstreaming will begin in 2010/11 in all schools, prefaced by a national programme of professional development for teachers beginning in 2009/10 which will continue to at least 2013. Phase 3 will have begun in all schools in 2012, and will be fully implemented in all class groups by 2015.

Project Maths will be supported by intensive investment in professional development for teachers. A Maths Support Team has been appointed and is currently supporting the project schools, as well as preparing for mainstream in-service development which will start in September 2009, followed by mainstream implementation starting in Sept 2010. The provision of the Support Team on the scale necessary for mainstream implementation has been prioritised within the overall number of posts available in the education sector. Some €3m has been provided for the programme in 2009 alone, and investment in professional development for teachers will continue in a rolling programme of reform.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 706: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will facilitate the inclusion of dance as part of the junior and leaving certificate syllabi; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15631/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Dance is included in the strands in the Physical Education curriculum in primary and post primary schools. In addition, students may choose Dance as one of the courses available within the Arts component of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme (LCA). The LCA is taken by some 7% of the student cohort and a maximum of 4 credits from a total of 200 credits in the assessment of the LCA is available for the Dance component. The LCA does not provide for direct entry into higher education, but students may progress to Post Leaving Certificate courses and from there to higher education.

My Department is faced with an extensive range of competing needs for investment in education, ranging from addressing educational disadvantage, inclusion of pupils with special needs and newcomer students, meeting the demands of a growing population, strengthening the mathematical, science, and technology aspects of provision, enhancing the professional development of teachers, investing in research and development and promoting second chance learning. Within that context, investment in mainstreaming of dance education as a subject for points for the purpose of third level entry is not a priority at the current time.