Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the circumstances of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 who has not been offered a place in either transition year or on a leaving certificate applied course as there are not enough places or teachers available; the steps she will take to ensure that their education needs are met; the way in which she intends to resource the school in order that it can respond to such needs and improve its retention rate going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21151/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is the board of management of each individual school that decides the number of places available to students on programmes such as Transition Year and the Leaving Certificate Applied, giving due regard to the needs of students and the resources available. The number of teachers allocated to the school by my Department is determined by the numbers of students enrolled on the programmes concerned. Schools are encouraged to provide maximum access to these options and to have clear procedures in place regarding how the available places are allocated to students.

The school referred to by the Deputy is currently participating in the Stay in School Retention strand of the School Completion Programme. This strand provides funding to participating post primary schools on the basis of annual retention plans drawn up between the schools and the Department. The intention is to empower the schools themselves to tackle early school leaving. The plans provide for a range of targeted measures directed at the particular needs of the individual schools, together with clear targets in terms of increased retention. This school has accepted an invitation to participate in the new School Support Programme under DEIS.

The school referred to by the Deputy currently offers a varied senior cycle with Transition Year, Leaving Certificate Applied and the established Leaving Certificate as options. I understand that having gone through the selection process for LCA the student in question was not offered one of the available places.

I also understand that the student in question did not apply for Transition Year. My Department has been informed by the school authorities that this remains an option which the parent of the student can explore with the school.