John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the professional development for support for teachers support service is cutting back the funding it is providing for Education Centres in 2011; if his attention has been drawn to the dramatic effect this is having on the centres' finances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11941/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Education Centre network plays a key part in the overall provision of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers, and in this context my Department provides funding to education centres in respect of core budget, local courses, and, where a centre is the host location for a national CPD support programme, for the administration and operation of the programme in question. The overall amount paid to education centres in relation to core budget and local courses in 2010 was €4.69m. In 2011, the overall allocation for these purposes is €4.71m.

The 21 centres in the national network of education centres, are bodies corporate with perpetual succession. The Centres have management committees to manage the business and staff of the centre.

The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a team of seconded teachers, which offers professional development support to primary and post-primary teachers on a wide range of topics. The PDST was established in September 2010, following a reconfiguration of the support services in existence prior to that date. 2011 is the first full year of the operation of the PDST. In allocating budgets for any PDST strands my Department aims to ensure that the approved allocation is commensurate with the level of activity, and there is ongoing communication between the Education Centres, PDST and my officials in this regard. In some instances, this may mean that a reduction in budget is appropriate.

The Deputy will appreciate that, as is the case with all expenditure, the level of funding to the education centre network as a whole, and indeed the teacher support services, is under regular review within my Department, with a view to ensuring value for money and economic efficiency, while providing a high quality service to the education sector.