Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding his negotiations with the US Ireland Alliance regarding the funding and administration of the George Mitchell scholarship scheme; when the legislation to provide a statutory basis will be introduced; when the US Ireland Alliance will receive the promised funds to operate this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37095/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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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. Implementation of this decision requires, inter alia, amendment of the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Act, 1998 and a new management and funding agreement between the US-Ireland Alliance and my Department.

Following protracted negotiations with the US-Ireland Alliance, agreement was reached on a draft new funding and management agreement in March 2009.

In July 2009, 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. Drafting of the Bill is currently in progress and the Bill is scheduled to be published in the current session.

My Department's funding allocation in respect of the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme will be decided in the context of decisions on the Estimates for 2010 and subsequent years and the matching funding raised by the US-Ireland Alliance.