Written answers

Tuesday, 2 October 2007

Department of Education and Science

Multi-Denominational Schools

9:00 am

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the warning from the chief executive of Educate Together that Ireland is facing an unacceptable and dangerous situation unless the State gets involved in the proper planning for schools to meet the needs of the increasingly diverse community; the steps she will take to avert such a situation developing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21611/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is generally accepted that our primary school system has served the country very well over the years. Primary schools have always been an important feature in communities and provide a base in which social inclusion is fostered and where the involvement and support of parents and the broader community is well recognised. Since the advent of greatly increased immigration to Ireland, primary schools have played an extremely important role in providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for newcomer children.

The very high level of activity on the Schools Building and Modernisation Programme reflects the rapid population increase being experienced here in recent years. The Department is planning to provide sufficient pupil places in all rapidly developing areas, including those areas where there might be large immigrant communities. This year alone will see construction work to provide over 700 classrooms in new schools and extensions to existing schools – most of these in the developing urban areas. When complete, these classrooms will provide modern facilities for over 17,500 pupils. The Department expects the need to provide similar levels of additional accommodation to continue for the foreseeable future.

I fully accept that from the perspective of ensuring integration of new communities in the country it is not desirable that children should be educated separately. Indeed the House will be aware that my Department makes substantial extra provision for schools in respect of language needs of pupils in a large number of schools with children from an immigrant background. In excess of 1,450 language support teachers are currently employed in primary and post primary schools.

Other measures have also been taken to assist school in this area. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has also produced intercultural guidelines to support teachers and schools in developing a more inclusive learning environment and in providing students with knowledge and skills they need to participate in a multicultural world. Corresponding guidelines for intercultural education in post-primary schools have also been made available by the NCCA.

My Department also provides funding to Integrate Ireland Language Training to provide Language Support Teachers with in-service training to assist them in meeting the English language needs of their pupils/students.

In order to assist newcomer parents, information on the Irish Education system has been placed on the Department's Website (www.education.ie) in six languages including Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, Spanish and German. It is intended to include further languages as the need arises.

It is not the intention of the Department to establish schools solely for children of a particular ethnic background. However, in a situation where these children were potentially being left without school places, the Department had to act immediately and take whatever steps were necessary to ensure that they were accommodated.

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