Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her question. I am delighted that funding of €40 million has been secured again this year to ensure a comprehensive summer programme is available in 2024. The funding of €40 million is designed to cover the full costs associated with the summer programme. On that particular issue, parents should not be asked to make financial contributions to the summer programme. My Department was made aware of one case, which was immediately resolved. Should any parent find themselves in a position where they are asked to contribute in any way, I would be very keen to hear from them on that because that is just completely unacceptable. All schools have an opportunity to run the summer programme for children who need it most. Our main priority is that the children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, can have access to a school-based summer programme. The measures for the 2024 summer programme have been designed to maximise participation in the school-based programme. The published reports from my Department’s inspectorate have highlighted the enormous value of this programme and I encourage as many schools as possible, particularly special schools, to participate in this programme.

More than 1,700 individual expressions of interest have been received from schools for this year’s summer programme, compared with over 1,400 schools which participated in 2023. Of the schools registered for the 2024 summer programme, 1,475 primary schools registered, up 19% on 2023; 205 post-primary schools, up 28% on 2023; and 72 special schools, up 22% on 2023 and 85% on 2022. Regarding the Deputy’s question on children who may not be able to access the programme, I am pleased that more children are availing of this support each year and I encourage all schools, even at this late stage, that are thinking of undertaking the programme to contact the Department. We will not have the figures for this summer programme until September as they come in. I have figures for 2021, when 37,500 students took part in the summer programme, and 2023, when 50,000 students took part. We have seen a significant increase in the numbers taking up the programme.

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