John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While I thank the Minister for his reply, I am very disappointed by his negative attitude towards the funding. It is held widely that when the aforementioned evaluation was conducted, those involved recommended strongly that this programme was very worthwhile and should continue. I again ask the Minister to reconsider the position because in every letter I have received from the principals of the 21 schools concerned, they all have referred to the fact of bullying in schools, about which all Members are concerned. The principals have stated that the Meitheal programme has led to a reduction in bullying-type behaviour and has added to the well-being of school first-year students during the transition from primary to secondary school. The principals state that the programme has advanced to the stage whereby students who have been at its receiving end now aspire to be Meitheal leaders. This programme costs little in the greater scheme of things but delivers so much in terms of the well-being of students. I ask the Minister, even at this late hour, to reconsider and have a rethink on this matter and to ascertain what can be done to provide at least some of the funding the programme received in the past. It would be a pity for the scheme to be abolished because of the small amount of moneys successive Ministers have been making available to it down through the years. The Minister should think again of the importance of this programme, as well as the tremendous work that has been done on the programme on a voluntary basis, both by the Meitheal leaders and by the teachers, who must not be forgotten. The teachers concerned have bought into the Meitheal programme and have given many hours outside their normal teaching hours to make sure it was a success throughout County Wexford. I therefore ask the Minister to reconsider the position.

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