Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 14 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 6

Written Answers. - Waste Reduction Schemes.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

112 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education if she will give details of any EU-sponsored schemes which operate for the purposes of promoting waste reduction, re-use and recycling in secondary schools in view of the fact that such EU-sponsored schemes currently operate in schools in the United Kingdom; and the procedures applying for inclusion in such project schemes. [21464/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

Under the terms of the Community Support Framework 1994-99 the Department of Education does not receive EU aid for schemes of this nature.

Both the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Leaving Certificate Applied which are supported under the Human Resources Operation Programme, can include treatment of the matters raised by the Deputy. Other programmes in schools including the Transition Year, which are not EU assisted provide similar opportunities.

Under Socrates, the community action programme intended to contribute to the development of quality education and training, financial aid may be allocated to multilateral partnerships between schools, which are built around a European education project — a project which aims to develop one or more subjects of European interest. In 1995-96, a project on "Domestic Waste and Environmental Issues" involving one Irish school, with partners in France and Northern Ireland, received funding under this programme. Schools interested in participating in the Socrates Programme should contact Leargas, which is the agency designated by my Department to operate the school education element of the programme.

The Deputy will also be interested to know that the Department of the Environment, in consultation with the Department of Education, distributed specially prepared educational materials promoting anti-litter awareness to all primary and second level schools in April-May 1996.