Ms Cliodhna O'Neill:

I am the assistant secretary with responsibility for schools, social inclusion and youth affairs in the Department. On my left is my colleague Angela Bumster from our special education unit and Gráinne Cullen from our social inclusion unit. We are grateful for the invitation to attend today.

The meeting is very welcome and timely as we are in the process of finalising our second six-monthly progress report on the implementation of the Traveller and Roma Education Strategy 2024-2030. The last time we appeared before the previous committee we had not yet published the Traveller and Roma strategy and we are pleased that we are making quick progress in that regard.

The strategy has actions for delivery by every level of our education system. It represents a whole-of-system approach to achieving equity of access, opportunity, and participation for Traveller children and young people and Roma children and young people. It is the result of extensive consultation with Traveller and Roma communities, education partners and stakeholders across government.

Since the launch of the Traveller and Roma education strategy last July, the Department has made strong progress on many of the actions set out in the first two-year implementation plan to 2026. I am pleased to take this opportunity to share some of the key achievements delivered. These reflect our deep commitment to education that is inclusive, supportive and respectful of all cultures.

The approach we have taken in the reporting so far is to update on all actions and to expand on actions where there is an opportunity to do so, drawing from feedback, suggestions and new initiatives that come to light. It is a living, evolving document.

We have put in place strong governance and meaningful engagement structures to support the strategy’s delivery. The Traveller and Roma education strategy oversight group, independently cochaired by Professor Ursula Kilkelly of UCC, has met twice this year and published its first progress report, with a second due shortly. The group will also oversee the implementation of the education-related actions from the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2024-2030, known as NTRIS.

The Traveller and Roma education forum was established in November 2024 and has met three times to date. The forum ensures that Traveller and Roma communities are active participants in shaping education policy, providing an essential platform for ongoing dialogue between the Department and the partners.

I will give a quick update on the Traveller and Roma education strategy associated actions. The two key developments in the early roll-out of the strategy are the appointment of two dedicated co-ordinators and the recruitment of 15 community link workers. The link workers will support Traveller and Roma families by building trust and addressing barriers to attendance, participation, and progression in education.

They are based across 14 counties, including Dublin, Wexford, Galway, Roscommon, Cork, Clare, Longford, Limerick, Louth, Kerry, Westmeath, Mayo, Donegal, and Offaly. The recruitment process is well under way. We have strong progress in filling these important roles. The two new co-ordinators will support this work by establishing communities of practice by sharing best practice and helping resolve local and regional challenges.

A dedicated Tusla education support service team, TESS, comprises of a manager and two co-ordinators. This team will provide national leadership and help embed the strategy’s actions in schools and communities across Ireland. As part of a new five-year national plan to improve school attendance, TESS is rolling out a pilot programme in 60 schools for the 2025-26 school year, which the Minister announced recently. This pilot uses an evidence-based model called Anseo. It is a multidimensional, multitiered system of supports. It helps schools identify and respond to attendance issues at three levels, whole-school, targeted and intensive. Schools taking part will get tailored support, training and in-school coaching from educational welfare officers. The aim is to develop long term, whole-school strategies that tackle the root causes of absences and absenteeism.

Reduced school days, RSDs, refer to a shortened school day where, by arrangement with school authorities, a student either arrives after the usual start time or leaves before the end of the day. It can also refer to a reduced week where a student does not attend all five days. The Department continues comprehensive monitoring of this. There have been two reports published to date with annual reports ongoing. These include data on the use of RSD for self-declared Traveller children and young people. The latest report, published in March 2025, was enhanced to include data by county, school and gender. This fulfils the previous programme for Government commitment to robust data collection, ensuring transparency and accountability in schools’ use of reduced school days. Inspectors and NEPS psychologists now also raise the issue of RSD proactively during visits supporting its use only when absolutely necessary and in the child’s best interest. The briefing document that we provided contains information on a range of other measures that are being undertaken, including the review of well-being policy for our schools, well-being inspections by the Department’s inspectorate and the development of online safety resources under the strategy.

The strategy also contains actions in relation to access to creativity and the arts. A total of seven schools are due to participate in the bringing live arts to students and teachers, BLAST, initiative. This is a Department led programme that supports creative residencies in schools with targeted engagement and outcomes for Traveller and Roma students. A formal evaluation of BLAST’s impact is underway, which will inform future culturally responsive arts and engagement initiatives. Additionally, 26 schools are participating in the creative clusters two-year initiative, which fosters creative teaching and learning environments to support Traveller and Roma students.

The briefing document outlines measures to ensure accessible, targeted information for Traveller and Roma families. To date, this includes two videos, one on the strategy’s publication to raise awareness and another on rights about reduced school days, with more resources of this type planned. The dedicated strategy website is regularly updated with consultation reports, progress updates and other key documents. Engagement with Traveller and Roma organisations on the redevelopment of the senior cycle, through the Traveller and Roma education forum, commenced this spring. The Department will continue to gather feedback to inform policy development in this area. A comprehensive report on inclusive education in initial teacher education has been completed by the Teaching Council. This highlights strong practice across higher education institutions. A national showcase is planned to share best practices in inclusive teaching. That will take place in September.

One of the key areas of progress I wish to highlight is the completion of a new video resource produced by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA. This video, narrated by Dr. Hannagh McGinley, provides practical advice for primary and post-primary teachers on teaching Traveller culture and history in our schools. It includes examples of classroom practice and tips from teachers and school leaders, as well as reflections from Traveller students. This resource was published in July and further teaching materials based on the video are in development. This work is essential in promoting understanding, respect and pride in Traveller identity among all children.

The Department of Education and Youth is unwavering in its commitment to achieving equality in education outcomes, and to ensuring that Traveller and Roma children and young people are supported and valued in our schools. We recognise that much work remains. We will continue to work closely with Traveller and Roma communities and education partners to implement the Traveller and Roma education strategy fully and in a spirit of partnership. I thank the committee for the opportunity to meet today. We look forward to the questions. We hope to use this engagement to inform our ongoing efforts to build an inclusive, respectful and supportive education system for every Traveller and Roma child and young person.