Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 417: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the special arrangements in place within her Department and at the point of service delivery to meet the needs of the Traveller community; and if her attention has been drawn to particular difficulties experienced by members of the Traveller community in accessing services. [37600/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is important from the outset to emphasise that the Traveller community is entitled to the same education provision as all others. In addition, to assist members of the Traveller community to successfully access educational services there are a number of special provisions.

At departmental level, a high level official co-ordinates provision of education for Travellers. An advisory committee on Traveller education was established as a direct result of a recommendation in the 1995 report of the task force on the Traveller community. A national education officer for Travellers, appointed in 1992, identifies the educational needs of Travellers, provides advice on policy and educational provision and actively promotes the integration of provision.

The Department's regional office service has, since March 2005, taken over responsibility for managing and supporting the visiting teacher service for Traveller education. This service consists of 40 visiting teacher posts. The visiting teachers are located through the country and, in 2004-05, worked with approximately 8,000 Traveller pupils and their parents and with pre-schools, primary and post-primary schools to assist in maximising participation and attainment levels and to promote an interculturally inclusive education for all.

At local level there are 45 pre-schools for Travellers located throughout the country. There are over 500 resource teacher for Traveller, RTT, posts in primary schools throughout the country. At post-primary level, each school which has Traveller students enrolled is provided with an additional 1.5 ex-quota teaching hours per week.

Primary schools with an RTT are provided with an enhanced capitation grant for each Traveller pupil enrolled. At post-primary, a supplementary capitation grant is available for each Traveller student enrolled.

Traveller pupils have the same entitlements to school transport as other children attending primary and post-primary education. In addition, in special circumstances, Traveller children are provided with special transport, where deemed necessary, and are included in programmes which aim to combat disadvantage, for example, the home-school-community liaison scheme and school completion programme. They will be included in the provision under the action plan for educational inclusion, DEIS, which was announced earlier this year.

There is one special primary special school for Travellers and three junior education centres for Travellers. To cater for the needs of Travellers aged 15 years and upwards there are 33 senior Traveller training centres located throughout the country. These centres provide a programme of general education, vocational training, work experience, guidance, counselling and psychological services. Approximately 10% of students at these centres are from the settled community.

Travellers have access to mainstream adult and further and higher education in the same manner as others. For example, Travellers may choose from mainstream literacy provision or they may attend Traveller specific literacy programmes which 19 VECs provide.

In the education equality initiative, administered by the further education section, one of the 18 projects targeted at educationally disadvantaged adults was a leadership skills for Traveller women initiative in Letterkenny, County Donegal. This initiative targeted urban and rural Traveller women in Donegal.

The number of Travellers in third level is low. To help improve enrolment of Travellers in third level the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education has identified Travellers as a target group as it implements its Achieving Equity of Access to Higher Education in Ireland, Action Plan 2005-07.

In 2002, the Department published guidelines on Traveller education in primary schools and guidelines on traveller education in second level schools. These guidelines highlight the Department's policy on integration, give information on Traveller culture and provide advice on responding to the educational needs of the Traveller students. In May this year, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment published guidelines on intercultural education in primary schools. This publication, with the guidelines on Traveller education in primary and second level schools, will provide information and help for schools to increase their understanding of diversity. The NCCA is due to publish guidelines on intercultural education for post-primary schools in 2006.

The Department is about to publish a report of a survey of Traveller education provision. This survey, undertaken by the inspectorate, evaluated provision in a number of primary and post-primary schools. The report will provide recommendations on policies and strategies that will facilitate schools in enhancing the education provision for Travellers at a national level.

I am expecting a report on the recommendations for a five year Traveller education strategy early in the new year. This report spans the full spectrum of lifelong learning from pre-school to adult and further education.

The needs of the Traveller community are a high priority for me and the recommendations of the survey of Traveller education provision and the report on the recommendations for a five year Traveller education strategy, which are imminent, are evidence of the importance which my Department and I attach to ensuring meeting the educational needs of Travellers is given high priority.