Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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44. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way he proposes to lift the educational attainment levels within the traveller community in view of the fact that many cutbacks in education funding both directly and indirectly affect those in the traveller community as highlighted by a recent report by Pavee Point indicates that funding for traveller education has been cut by 86.6% since 2008. [25701/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The report and recommendations for a Traveller education strategy, published in 2006, recommended that the principle of inclusion be the guiding principle and that segregated provision for Travellers should be either reduced or eliminated.
In line with this strategy a number of Traveller-specific programmes have been phased out. The reference to an 86.6% reduction in the recent report published by Pavee Point, Travelling with Austerity, refers to the reduction in funding for segregated Traveller-specific programmes, some of the funding for which has been redeployed to mainstream programmes in line with the principle of inclusion.
This policy has proved to be successful in lifting educational attainment levels in the Traveller community, with the number of Traveller children enrolled in post-primary school rising by 46% in the seven years to 2011-2012 and a total of approximately 12,000 self-identified Travellers in mainstream primary and post-primary education.

Department of Education & Skills Traveller Specific Funding allocated 2008 to 2012 and 2013 Projections

Enrolement/Participant in DES funded Schools/Programmes: Total Identified Travellers*

*Travellers are self-identified therefore the total number of Travellers availing of services may not be included in the pupil/participant data shown. The allocation estimates for Traveller Specific provision shown is additional to overall mainstream funding which provides for education of all system users including Travellers

Table of Funding detailing Additional Specific Provision for Traveller Education

Explanatory Notes - Table of DES - Allocated Traveller Specific Funding 2008 to 2012 incl 2013 Projections

1 Preschool

Transport costs for preschool - €11,714.92 in 2012

Implemented in accordance with Chapter Five of Report and Recommendations for A Traveller Education Strategy - change to an inclusive, integrated service

The Free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme is funded through the Department of Health and Children (OMCYA) Vote.

2 Teaching Resources Primary /Post-Primary (2012/13)

Primary Teaching Resources 121 Alleviation posts x €60,000 = €7,260,000

Post Primary Teaching Resources 20 Alleviation posts x €64,000 = €1,280,000

Visiting Teachers for Travellers 2011 €1,645,333 (39 VTT's x €60,000 & 2 VTT's x 64,000 for 8 months)

Salary costs being used for 2012 - based on an average salary incl ER PRSI - Primary €60,000 and for Post Primary €64,000

In accordance with Chapter Six - Primary & Chapter Seven - Post primary - provision of education to Travellers based on need rather than identity

The decision to remove the VTST service was one of a range of measures included in the National Recovery Plan 2011 to 2014

Of the 488 resource posts at primary, 265.5 posts were retained in the system and allocated to include Travellers in the valid enrolment for the purposes of allocating additional teaching resources to implement more favourable class sizes in DEIS Band 1 schools and to include Traveller pupils in the revised General Allocation Model for higher incidence special educational needs in all primary schools with Travellers.

3 Funding Resources Primary /Post-Primary: Enhanced Capitation for Travellers - per capita rates reduced by 5% in Budget 2011 in line with overall per capita funding reduction.

Reduction in Capitation Funding was one of the measures adopted in 2011 to achieve the saving required under the National Recovery Programme 2011-2014

4 Junior Education Centres (VEC's)

Junior Education Centres (Funded under VEC's) Pay Allocation

- St Anthony's Athlone 2487 hours/735 = 3.38 wte (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 3.38)

- St Joseph's Milltown 1,470 hours /735 = 2 wte (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 2.00)

- St Thomas', Clonshaugh 1,681 hours/735 = 2.28 wte (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 2.28)

In accordance with the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy, education provision based on educational need and not identity, changing to inclusive, integrated provision.

(The Co-operation hours annual cycle is similar to an ordinary second level school's annual cycle,and relate to 2012/13 year. Therefore €64,000 used to calculate total pay cost)

5 Senior Traveller Training Centres: Implemented in accordance with Chapter 8 of the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy - Bring Travellers into mainstream further education provision.

The phasing out of segregated provision for Travellers in Senior Traveller Training Centres on foot of recommendation of the STTC Value for Money Review was completed at the end of June 2012.

6 General Traveller Training Centre - also known as the Parish of the Travelling People, Cabra 2012/13 Allocation 2,205 hours/735 = 3.00 WTE teachers (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 3) *Application for Allocation of hours for 2013 not yet made.

7 Transport

Implemented in accordance with Chapter 6 & 7, - provide school transport for Traveller pupils on the same conditions as for settled pupils. From September 2011 the distance and general eligibility applies to all children. Given that the Traveller specific transport has been phased out and Traveller children are using mainstream transport it is not envisaged that there will be any significant expenditure on Traveller transport in 2013.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The reason I tabled the question is that in response to other questions the Department has stated things are going well in the Traveller community with regard to education. I believe the principle is individual educational needs rather than Traveller identity. We are not discussing this aspect. We had a recent experience in St. Dominic's in Ballyfermot.

What the Minister is saying now is not true. They have said themselves that up to 2011 they had 100% retainment of children from the Traveller community. Since then they have seen a change in the situation because of the cuts in resource and visiting teachers, as well as the SCP local co-ordinator and the SCP project worker. These all linked in with the guidance counsellors and MBSS classroom co-ordinator. All those cuts have made a big impact and Traveller children are now dropping out of the system.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has said that there must be a consistent system of data collection to assess minority pupils' performances in education and establish the necessary policies in this area. Has the Minister put something like that in place? Those affected are saying that if this continues all the benefits gained in the last seven years, up to 2011, will be gone.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Deputy tabled a specific question, which I have attempted to answer, concerning a statistic that was given and which is disputed, but that is another matter. The reductions in supports for Travellers were taken by the previous Government but they were maintained by this Government, so I am not trying to blame any of my predecessors.

I do not think the issue of mainstreaming is disputed by anybody and I did not get that sense from what the Deputy asked me. If she is talking about a specific experience in a particular school in her constituency and can bring the precise details to me, I will have the matter investigated and will get her a detailed reply.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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That would be appreciated but questions have been tabled already and the Minister has given standard replies to Deputy Eric Byrne. However, I will certainly contact the Minister about this area. It is not just that school but also the other schools around it and the community in Labre Park, which are all part of that system. There has been a definite reduction in school attendance by Traveller children, which is a serious problem in the area.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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If the Deputy could bring those particular details to my personal attention, I will have a direct inquiry made and will get back to her and the other Deputies in the constituency.