Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number and names of schools in Dublin which participate in the school support programme under DEIS who received grant aid to provide communications technology equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29254/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to the Dormant Accounts Funded Small Scale ICT Scheme for DEIS Schools.

In April 2007, I announced details of this once-off scheme, which was among the priority funding measures approved for support in 2007 under the Educational Disadvantage category of the Dormant Account Fund. Eligibility for the scheme was restricted to the 873 primary and post primary schools that are participating in my Department's School Support Programme under DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools).

The scheme provides for small scale grants primarily for the purchase of the following types of ICT equipment to support children's learning and development:

Digital Camera

Digital Video Camera

Laptop

Tablet PC

Other Computer

Data Projector

Interactive Whiteboard (including software)

Wireless mouse and keyboard

Educational Software

In October the Government approved projects in 815 schools for funding €3,312,088. This included funding for 214 schools in Dublin for a total of €1,010,023.

Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools in County Westmeath that operate the stay safe programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29256/07]

Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 397: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools in County Longford that operate the stay safe programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29257/07]

Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools throughout the country that operate the stay safe programme; and the encouragement given by her and her Department to schools to promote these programmes. [29258/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 396 to 398, inclusive, together.

Results of a survey on the uptake of Stay Safe carried by the Child Abuse Prevention Programme, (CAPP) and my Department in 2006 show that 78.4% of schools in Westmeath are teaching Stay Safe, 72.5% of schools in Longford and 84.1% nationally. There was a very high response rate to this questionnaire — 91.8%.

It should also be noted that of the schools nationwide that indicated in the survey that they were not teaching Stay Safe, 52% reported that child abuse prevention was covered as part of the curriculum using all or some of the following resources, RSE, Walktall Programme, Kidscape and Alive O.

In-service training for school staff by CAPP is provided on request to schools. Typically these sessions include the following:

Teaching Stay Safe within the context of the SPHE programme.

Developing a school policy on child protection.

Responding to disclosures or suspicions of abuse.

Guidelines and procedures for reporting child abuse.

Response of the health services to cases of child abuse.

CAPP trainers will also facilitate board of management/parent information meetings on Stay Safe and related child protection issues.

Following the 2006 survey, schools which were not teaching the programme, or not teaching all parts of it, were contacted and offered training. Two additional regional development officers were seconded to the programme in September 2007 to assist in the provision of this training.

In addition to this in early 2008 the Primary Curriculum Support Programme will provide child protection training for Designated Liaison Persons in primary schools nationwide