Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of State funding directly or indirectly that has been paid to fund trade unions, related bodies or trade union interests or causes in the past decade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21126/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In 2001, my Department agreed through the Teachers Conciliation Council to provide £7,500 annually to each of the three teacher unions towards the cost of substitution, enabling the release of executive members to conduct union business. This payment is reviewed in line with pay movement affecting teachers' salaries. The total cost of this measure from 2001 to date is €283,300. My Department funds professional development courses for teachers organised by teacher unions. The total cost of this funding from 2001 to date was €1.9 million. The amounts paid in each year to each union are in the attached document. It has not been possible in the time available to include details for FÁS which will be supplied to the Deputy in the near future.