John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1260: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount allocated to the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund in 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009. [34044/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The funding of the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme is a reflection of the Government's gratitude for the significant contribution made by Senator Mitchell to the promotion of peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. The Government provided an endowment of IR£2million for the programme in 1999.

In 2007, a decision was taken to secure the long term viability of this programme by increasing Ireland's contribution to the Fund for the programme by €20 million to be paid over a number of years conditional on matching funding being raised by the US-Ireland Alliance.

Following Government approval of the general scheme of the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2009, I sent the Bill to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for formal drafting. The Bill is scheduled to be published in the current session.

While a financial provision was included in my Department's Estimates for 2007 and 2008 in respect of the Fund for the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme, no payments have been made to date in that regard pending the finalisation of the necessary amending legislation to the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Act, 1998.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1261: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of students brought to Ireland to study under the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund in 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34045/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The George Mitchell Scholarship Programme is run on an academic year basis.

Details of the numbers of students participating in this programme in the 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 academic years are set out in a table.

* One student is undertaking a course which is being jointly delivered by NUI Galway and Queen's University Belfast.