Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will make a statement on the findings of the report commissioned by her Department on the FÁS science challenge programme. [11370/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In late 2008 a number of matters came to my attention with regard to the FÁS Science Challenge Initiative including that of high expenditure and I commissioned a review of this programme. The review concluded that the initiative was outside of the main remit of FÁS, did not represent best value for money on the basis of efficiency, effectiveness and economy and that there was no evidence to show that it had in itself, contributed to the systemic goals of the Government's Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-13. I therefore directed my Department to make the necessary arrangements for the commencement of the orderly wind down of the Science Challenge Initiative once all existing commitments for the 2008/2009 academic year had been met. This has now been carried out.