Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation to create a permanent endowment for the Mitchell Scholars Programme; if this will require legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45265/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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In 1998, in recognition of the pivotal contribution made by US Senator George J. Mitchell to the Northern Ireland peace process, the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme was established and the Government agreed to contribute an endowment of IR£2 million to the Programme. The purpose of the Programme is to enable highly qualified American students to attend third level institutions on the island of Ireland for post graduate studies.

The George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Act was enacted in December 1998 and it empowered the Minister for Education and Science to establish the Fund in the United States and to enter into agreement with persons to manage and control the Fund.

The Agreement for the management of the Fund was signed with the US-Ireland Alliance in March 1999. The income from the Fund provides, inter alia, for two scholarships per annum. The US-Ireland Alliance also secures additional funding from other sources which enables the programme offer a further ten scholarships annually.

In 2007, a decision was taken to secure the long term viability of the George Mitchell Scholarship 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.

It is envisaged that the increased future investment income from the additional funding of up to €40 million, inclusive of matching funding, would primarily meet the cost of administration and bursaries for successful students undertaking post-graduate study and research in universities and other approved institutions on the island of Ireland

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.

Drafting of the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2009 is currently in progress and the Bill is scheduled to be published in the current session.