Vol. 506 No. 5
219 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the special initiatives, if any, his Department is planning or involved in to mark the millennium for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15687/99]
My Department in co-operation with Ms Deirdre Purcell, a member of the National Millennium Committee, the National Library, RTE and the teacher unions has launched an initiative to create a millennium book. The project has involved all fifth class primary students and transition year students in the schools throughout the State being invited to write about themselves on a piece of prepared parchment. The result will be a multi-volume bound manuscript which will be presented in December next to the President by representative students on behalf of the nation and then placed in the safekeeping of the National Library. The response of schools to this project has been very satisfactory and work is at present under way in preparing the sheets of children's writing for binding.
I will be considering a range of other projects and initiatives to mark the millennium and I will announce these in due course.
