Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House and commend Senator Kelleher on her excellent Bill. The approach encapsulated in this draft legislation is a very good and one we should adopt. The education system in Ireland operates, or at least should operate, on an inclusive basis in keeping with our obligations under the Constitution and national and international law. An ESRI report from 2017 entitled "A Social Portrait of Travellers in Ireland" was commissioned by the Department of Justice and Equality drawing largely on data from the census of 2011. The report highlighted the lower levels of educational attainment among Travellers and the unsurprising fact that greater chances of gaining employment are associated with higher educational attainment levels. The report also references the withdrawal of educational supports following the austerity budget in 2011.

While Traveller children are more likely to attend a Developing Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, school than non-Travellers, and thus avail of additional supports in these schools, the report references that not all Travellers attend DEIS schools. In particular, it states that mainstreaming without specific intervention for Travellers may result in Traveller needs not being met. It is intended the learning from the ongoing cross-sectional pilot, which was proposed under the national Traveller and Roma inclusion strategy and led by TUSLA, will address some of these issues. I am interested in hearing the Minister's comments on the pilot.

In accordance with the Government policy of inclusion, the policy on Traveller education is that Traveller children attend mainstream schools with previously segregated provision now funded as part of the mainstream system. A number of Traveller-specific supports remain in the system to assist with the transition to the mainstream system of pupils previously provided for in segregated provision. These comprise 141 alleviation resource teacher posts for schools with significant numbers of Travellers at a current cost €8.46 million, additional pupil capitation for Travellers at a rate of €70 per pupil for primary and €201 per pupil for post-primary at a current cost of €1.11 million. In 2016 and 2017, there were 7,901 pupils in mainstream primary schools who identified as members of the Traveller community.

The Minister will no doubt go into more detail about the DEIS plan which in 2017 recognised that engagement of Travellers and Roma in education is a continuing challenge. Aspects of Traveller and Roma culture, together with past experiences of some parents and grandparents with education, can give rise to difficulties with school attendance, participation and retention. It is important existing good practice and innovation in schools and ancillary support services are harnessed to improve the education experience of Traveller children in school. The legislation encapsulates much of that.

I support this very important legislation to which I am hopeful of a positive response from the Minister.