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Higher Education Grants.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2009

Tuesday, 6 October 2009

Questions (1161, 1162)

John O'Mahony

Question:

1260 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount allocated to the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund in 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009. [34044/09]

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Written answers

The funding of the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme is a reflection of the Government's gratitude for the significant contribution made by Senator Mitchell to the promotion of peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. The Government provided an endowment of IR£2million for the programme in 1999.

In 2007, a decision was taken to secure the long term viability of this programme by increasing Ireland's contribution to the Fund for the programme by €20 million to be paid over a number of years conditional on matching funding being raised by the US-Ireland Alliance.

Following Government approval of the general scheme of the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2009, I sent the Bill to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for formal drafting. The Bill is scheduled to be published in the current session.

While a financial provision was included in my Department's Estimates for 2007 and 2008 in respect of the Fund for the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme, no payments have been made to date in that regard pending the finalisation of the necessary amending legislation to the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Act, 1998.

John O'Mahony

Question:

1261 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of students brought to Ireland to study under the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund in 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34045/09]

View answer

The George Mitchell Scholarship Programme is run on an academic year basis.

Details of the numbers of students participating in this programme in the 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 academic years are set out in a table.

Institution

2007/2008

2008/2009

2009/2010

Dublin City University (DCU)

1

2

0

National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG)

1

1

1.5*

National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM)

1

1

1

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB)

2

2

2.5*

Trinity College, Dublin (TCD)

2

2

2

University College Cork (UCC)

2

1

2

University College Dublin (UCD)

3

2

2

University of Limerick (UL)

0

0

1

University of Ulster (UU)

0

1

0

Total

12

12

12

*One student is undertaking a course which is being jointly delivered by NUI Galway and Queen's University Belfast.

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