Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have raised the matter of children dropping out of the education system with the Minister previously and understand that this falls under the remit of the Department of Education and Skills. However, I had a consultation yesterday with the people providing a centre in Cork which now has 45 children who have dropped out of education attending it. Schools are getting the capitation grant for these children, but the children are not attending those schools. The total funding from the Department of Education and Skills for this centre is €47,500 and the centre has 60 people working in it on a voluntary basis. As recently as yesterday, they advised me they have had meetings with all of the major players, including the local education board, the school attendance officers and the Department of Health.

We need to set up some structure to deal with young people who are dropping out of the education system. Will the Department of Children and Youth Affairs come on board to look at this issue? This situation arises not just in Cork, but in other parts of the country also. School attendance officers refer young children who have little or no parental support to this centre in Cork. The schools the children were attending are not supportive, because they have enough demands from the children who attend them. The centre in Cork is providing one-on-one education through the 55 to 60 people who work on a voluntary basis. This cannot continue without funding. The centre has funding up until June 2015, but what will happen after that? Must the centre close down then?

I have been speaking to private enterprise to try to get some backing for the centre and we are getting some support. Up to now, the Christian Brothers were providing €100,000 per annum, but they can no longer provide that.

I am just asking that the Department come on board in dealing with the scenario in which young people, some as young as ten, are dropping out of the education system and schools are not able to accommodate them. I know the Department of Education and Skills has a very fixed view that they must stay in the education system, but it is not happening. We need to examine this. It is interesting to talk to the Garda chief superintendent. His attitude is that if we do not look after them they will end up on his doorstep within a very short period. Would the Department look at this project and other similar projects?