Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 641: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons taking the leaving certificate established, applied and vocational for the most recent year for which statistics are available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21941/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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On foot of a Government decision, the then Minister for Education and Science formally established the State Examinations Commission on 6 March 2003. The commission now has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. This includes the matter raised by the Deputy. I have forwarded your question to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 642: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons who failed to make the transition from primary to secondary schooling for each of the past five years for which statistics are available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21942/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The specific information requested by the Deputy is not available at present.

The Education Welfare Act 2000, and the establishment of the National Educational Welfare Board provides a comprehensive framework for promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. To discharge its responsibilities, the board is developing a nationwide service to provide welfare-focused services to children, families and schools. The board currently has an authorised staffing complement of 94. The priority I attach to supporting the NEWB is evident from the fact that the budget which it has been allocated for 2005 is up by 20% on the 2004 allocation, to nearly €8 million. The board issued an information leaflet to 330,000 families and 4,000 schools in March, 2004. The leaflet targeted parents and guardians of children aged between six and 16 years of age and young people aged 16 and 17 who have left school early to start work. It outlined the role parents and guardians play in ensuring that their children do not miss out on education and training and also gave information about the National Educational Welfare Board. In addition, the board launched a new lo-call telephone number to inform parents and guardians about their legal role and responsibilities under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.

My Department also operates a number of programmes at both primary and post-primary level to tackle the problem of early school leaving. The Giving Children an Even Break programme provides additional financial and teaching supports for children in primary schools from disadvantaged backgrounds who are most at risk of educational disadvantage and early school leaving.

A key role in this regard is also played by the home school community liaison, HSCL, scheme which helps parents to develop their skills as the primary educators of their children and also addresses issues in the community impinging on learning and educational participation. The school completion programme is aimed directly at those in danger of dropping out of the education system by targeting individual young people of school going age, both in and out of school, and arranging supports to address inequalities in education access, participation and outcomes.

Both the HSCL scheme and all 82 school completion programme projects operate transfer programmes which are very important in assisting pupils in making the transition from primary to post-primary level.

The new action plan for educational inclusion, Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools, which I launched recently, focuses on addressing the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities. The plan provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme which will bring together and build upon, a number of existing interventions for schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The action plan will be introduced on a phased basis — starting in the next school year — and will involve an additional annual investment of €40m on full implementation. It will also involve the provision of some 300 additional posts across the education system. A continuing emphasis will be placed on the development of effective transfer programmes by building on the existing work of the HSCL scheme and the school completion programme in this area.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 643: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons who continued on to senior cycle after completing junior certificate for the past five years for which statistics are available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21943/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 644: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons who left full-time education before the junior certificate examination for the past five years for which statistics are available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21944/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 643 and 644 together.

Data on school retention and drop-out for the most recent school year, 2004-2005, are currently being finalised and will, together with estimates for previous years be forwarded directly to the Deputy when available.