John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the most recent figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the south-east region has the highest rate of early school leavers and the second lowest rate of participation in full-time education; the measures he proposes to remedy this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26479/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has adopted a broad-based approach to tackling early school-leaving.

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework, promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognized school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The Board operates through 5 regional teams, with bases in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. A service is provided from 26 locations nationwide.

Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) are appointed and deployed throughout the country to discharge the Board's functions locally. EWOs employ a welfare oriented approach in the interests of the children and young people who do not attend school regularly, working collaboratively with schools and other agencies in meeting the needs of the children and the young people concerned. It is encouraging to note research findings that attendance at school in the areas where EWOs are working intensively improved by 4% in 2004/05 compared with the previous year.

Enhancing attendance, progression, retention and attainment are central to DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, which is being implemented at present. This is the first time that an integrated educational inclusion strategy has been developed for 3-18 year olds in the State. DEIS represents a shift in emphasis away from individual initiatives, each addressing particular problems, to a multifaceted and more integrated approach. Additional supports are being targeted at children in the most disadvantaged schools to encourage them to stay in school.

The key principle of early intervention, to identify and help children at risk of leaving school early, is a major component of the Plan. In fact, in addition to the NEWB, there are currently in excess of 620 staff within the education sector in education disadvantage programmes of which over 130 are additional posts allocated under DEIS and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The SSP incorporating the School Completion Programme (SCP) and the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) is a preventative measure designed to combat issues of poor attendance and early school leaving.

Working with parents to promote school attendance and retention is an important part of the work of the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL). In addition to this, the School Completion Programme is developing strong links between primary and post-primary schools in disadvantaged areas. These are two preventative measures designed to combat issues of poor attendance and early school leaving. Children at risk of early school leaving are targeted under the School Completion Programme for a variety of extra supports aimed at encouraging them to stay in school. The supports cover both educational and non-educational interventions and are provided during and outside of school time. The Home School Community Liaison Scheme works to involve parents in their children's education which is a crucial component in convincing young people of the value of education.

Under DEIS, a continuing emphasis will be placed on the development of effective transfer programmes for pupils making the transition to second-level, by building on the existing work of HSCL scheme and the School Completion Programme in this area. Initiatives such as Familiarisation Days and week-long transfer programmes for new entrants to second level have been shown to have very positive results in helping children to make a smooth transition to their new school. Other measures facilitated through the DEIS action plan include extending access to Schools' Business Partnerships, school meals, guidance counselling and student councils. Increased integration is also being promoted between the work of second level schools and centres catering for young early school leavers, particularly Youthreach Centres and Senior Traveller Training centres. This Government has shown a sustained commitment to providing greater opportunities in the further education sector by supporting second chance educational opportunities for young people who leave school.

The range of curricula available to students has also been extended to include the Junior Certificate Schools Programme, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. These options provide an alternative for many children who might otherwise opt out of formal education at an early stage.

In relation to the Deputy's particular question, the south east region falls into the Leinster South Regional Area of the NEWB. 13 EWOs and 2 Senior Educational Welfare Officers (SEWOs) and 1 Regional Manager are deployed in the Leinster South region. Under Towards 2016 provision was made for an additional 100 posts, in total for the NEWB and the National Educational Psychological Service, by the end of 2009, to help further address absenteeism, early school leaving, behavioural problems and special needs. In 2007, 15 of these posts were sanctioned for the NEWB and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that one of the 15 new posts was sanctioned for the Waterford (part city)/South Wexford area.

Section 29 of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 provides for the establishment and maintenance by the NEWB of a register of young persons aged 16 and 17 who leave school to take up employment. The purpose of the register is to ensure that the young people concerned continue to participate in education until they reach 18 years of age. The NEWB will in the near future conclude the establishment of the register. At present early school leavers who contact the NEWB directly are recorded by the Board.

Work is ongoing to develop appropriate protocols for all agencies and services to work together and to ensure that optimum use is made of the resources deployed. I would like to assure the Deputy that through increased investment and improved services this government is determined to optimise access, participation and educational outcomes at every level of the system. It will continue to do all that is possible to ensure that every child gets all the opportunities and support they need to enable them to achieve their potential and participate fully in education.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the most recent figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the south-east region has one of the lowest percentages of persons with a third level qualification; the measures he proposes to remedy this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26480/08]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether the educational disadvantage being suffered by the south-east region, as revealed by the latest figures produced by the Central Statistics Office, demonstrates the need for a university for the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26481/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together.

The proportion of persons with a third level qualification in any given region does not necessarily correlate with the proportion of the population from that region that continue their studies to third level. There are a number of factors influencing the location in which a person with a third level qualification may chose to live, including for example the concentration of jobs available in high population centres.

Third level participation rates by region are not currently available. However participation rates by county are available from national studies of new entrants to higher education, which are commissioned by the HEA at six-yearly intervals. The most recent survey of this type was conducted in 2004 and it shows significant increases in participation rates over 1998 for all the counties in the south east region. For example, Waterford's participation rate increased from 41.2% in 1998 to 48.7% in 2004.

My Department has received applications from three Institutes of Technology, including Waterford IT, for designation as universities. I am considering the appropriate next steps in relation to all the applications for designation on hands, having regard to the need to build on our strengths and to provide an environment where all our higher education institutions can develop in a way that best serves the country as a whole and the regions where they are based.