Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton. I wish to apologise on his behalf that he cannot be present due to a prior commitment to visit two schools with An Taoiseach. I will make sure to convey to him the matters raised in this debate. He is very familiar with this situation but I understand the importance of raising it today and he understands that too. He just could not make it and I think Senator Ó Ríordáin understands that.

Education provision on an inclusive basis is a fundamental principle of our education and training system. Ensuring every child is supported and given the opportunity to reach his or her full potential is a key priority for this Government and the Department of Education and Skills is committed to improving educational outcomes for members of the Traveller and Roma communities. As Senator Ó Ríordáin will be aware, St. Thomas’s is a school with special school designation dating from a period when separate education provision for members of the Traveller community was the norm. The phasing out of segregated education provision for Traveller children began in 2006 in accordance with Government policy which was developed in consultation with Traveller representative groups. Senator Ó Ríordáin acknowledged that was the right decision to make.

St. Thomas’s is currently the only remaining education centre in the country catering for Traveller boys. Segregating Traveller children from mainstream children is not positive for Traveller children, the Traveller community or for society. The agreed process for the phasing out of Traveller only provision was that new enrolments to such provision would cease in September 2008 and closure would be achieved when the current pupil cohort had left the school in question. This did not happen in the case of St. Thomas’s and I accept what the Senator said that this debate is about phasing it out. That process started and was agreed back in 2008.

Officials of the Department of Education and Skills have been engaging with the patron of the school for many years to progress the transfer of its student cohort to the mainstream school system in line with agreed national policy.It is important to note that, as with all schools under private patronage, the decision relating to school closure, amalgamation etc. rests with the patron. As a result of the most recent engagement during the current school year, the Department has come to the view that the arrangements for and delivery of education provision at the school are no longer appropriate to meet the educational needs of the current student cohort. This view has been communicated to the patron of the school together with a proposal that relevant supports for the current enrolment would transfer to the mainstream school system.

In order to ensure a smooth and effective transition of provision for students, officials of the Department are engaging with the school patron and the educational welfare services of Tusla with regard to future education provision for the current student cohort in St. Thomas's school. Tusla's educational welfare services are available to work with parents to source school places for the current pupil cohort, including three students at leaving certificate level who would be due to sit exams in 2019. The Department of Education and Skills will continue to engage with both the patron and the educational welfare services of Tulsa regarding arrangements for the future education provision for the pupil cohort.

The Senator may wish to note that current overall policy on Traveller education is being progressed within the framework of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021. The strategy has a particular emphasis on improving Traveller engagement with education and the Department of Education and Skills is currently working with relevant Departments and agencies and Traveller representative groups to implement relevant actions aimed at improving education outcomes for all Travellers, including the current student cohort of St Thomas's school. I hope this brings some clarity to the matter. Maybe the Senator might take it on board.