Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Jan 2003

Vol. 560 No. 2

Written Answers. - Scholarship Schemes.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

50 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department compiles lists and information of scholarship schemes, trust funds, international awards or any other funding for exceptional students or graduates; and if so, the information in this regard. [2261/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

Lists in relation to the information requested by the Deputy are not compiled by my Department. However, I will outline the details relating to scholarships awarded by my Department.

Under the three Irish scholarships schemes, 50 scholarships are awarded annually on a competitive basis to students who, amongst other things, have attended an all-Irish second level school, sat their leaving certificate through Irish and reached a certain minimum standard in the leaving certificate examination.

The three Irish scholarship schemes are: scheme of third level scholarships for students from the Gaeltacht; scheme of third level scholarships which is operated through Irish and is restricted; and scheme of Irish third level scholarships which is unrestricted.

Seven Easter week commemoration scholarships are awarded annually to commemorate the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation of Independence. The scholarships are awarded on the basis of the leaving certificate results. A different group of subjects is taken into account for purpose of awarding each scholarship. The scholarships are awarded in each case to the candidate who performs best in higher level papers at the leaving certificate examination in the appropriate group of subjects.

Up to a total of ten scholarships are awarded to students each year to attend the European University Institute, Florence. The EUI is a post-graduate institute which was established by the EU member states to make a contribution to the intellectual life of Europe and to the development of Europe's cultural and academic heritage.

The EUI's functions include advanced teaching, research and providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and experience. The EUI has four Departments: history and civilisation; economics, law and political and social sciences. The main teaching activity is the PhD programme, leading to the doctorate of the institute, on topics related to its research programme in the fields of history, economics, law and political and social sciences.

There are five Government of Ireland research schemes administered by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences. They offer research opportunities to students and academic staff from all third level Institutions. These are: Government of Ireland post-graduate scholarships; Government of Ireland post-doctoral fellowships; Government of Ireland senior research scholarships; Government of Ireland research fellowships; and Government of Ireland senior research fellowships.

Similar research schemes – basic research scholarships and postgraduate scholarships – are offered by the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. The emphasis of these schemes is on innovative and original research which is aimed at generating knowledge. More specifically, it invests in the development of the research community through the support of researchers and research students.