388 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the current basis on which parents and others on boards of management can obtain training in their role; and if he will provide a fund accessible to individual schools to support this training. [17848/97]
The in-career development unit of my Department already provides funding for training for members of boards of management of primary and second-level schools. This funding is provided to a number of organisations which are contracted on an agency basis to provide training programmes in the area of school management.
Over the past few years the ICDU has contracted bodies such as the National Parents Councils, both primary and post-primary as well as managerial bodies representing management interests at primary and post-primary levels to provide a programme of training to meet the training needs of those involved in the management of schools. In the circumstances, there are no plans at present to provide a fund as suggested for individual schools.
