Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 1

Written Answers. - Departmental Funding.

John Cregan

Question:

158 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will give an updated report on funding or prospects for same from her Department or any agency under her remit towards ongoing costs of the DCU science bus; if she has been involved in arranging commercial sponsorship for the original concept; if she continues to be involved since the original sponsor withdrew; her Department's views on the value of this bus; if it is successful in encouraging students to take up science degrees; and if she will make a statement on the matter in relation to her interests and plans to continue the operation of this science bus. [11807/03]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

Since March 2000, the Centre for Talented Youth in Ireland, based at Dublin City University, has been operating a science bus with support from Pfizer and the DCU educational trust. The bus is a mobile, road-show style interactive science laboratory equipped with a range of hands-on exhibits designed to capture the imagination of schoolchildren aged nine to 12 years.

Neither my Department nor any agency under my remit was involved in providing start-up funding or in arranging commercial sponsorship for this project. However, in January 2003, in response to a request for funding, the science bus was approved sponsorship of €10,000 on a one-off basis under the science, technology and innovation awareness programme. This programme is managed by Forfás on behalf of my Department and seeks to promote greater awareness of the importance of science, technology and innovation among students and the general public. All funding by my Department for science awareness activities is provided through this programme. The programme's key annual activities include Science Week Ireland with over 200 events arranged by the scientific community nationwide. The organisers of any awareness activity may apply for funding under the science, technology and innovation awareness programme and each application will be considered on its merits in the context of competing demands.

While the science bus is a very valuable initiative in encouraging students to take up science, it and its equivalents elsewhere, even when they are on the road full-time, can reach only a small fraction of the numbers of people that a science centre can accommodate. In this context, officials in my Department are currently exploring ways to progress proposals to establish a science centre.