Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 604: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the latest figures for school retention rates to leaving certificate in Dublin, broken down by Dublin postcode; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22049/09]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The latest Retention Report published by the Department of Education and Science provides data on the cohort of pupils who entered the first year of the junior cycle in 1997, 1998 and 1999 most of whom completed their senior cycle five to six years following the year of intake. This is the third such report tracking pupil retention and the trend is showing yearly improvements in retention rates - rising from an estimated 81 to 84% for entrants to second level in 1996 and 1999 respectively. It is compiled from data on the Department's Post Primary Pupils Database and tracks students in State aided schools (with an estimate of those attaining their Leaving Cert in private institutions). It does not take into account students pursuing other educational pathways such as Youthreach or apprenticeship training. Retention rates of pupils in Second-Level School 1999 Cohort can be found on my Department's website - www.education.ie under Statistics.

Average retention rates to leaving certificate for Dublin City, Dublin South, Dublin Fingal and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown for the 1999 Entry cohort were 72.1%, 74.6%, 80.7% and 83.2% respectively. Retention rates for each Dublin postcode area have not been published in the most recent Report due to concerns about the use of such information to narrowly compare individual schools without taking full account of other differences. Data relating to the cohort of pupils who entered the first year of the junior cycle in 2000 and 2001 will be available in August.

My Department has adopted a broad-based approach to tackling early school leaving. This includes the work of the National Educational Welfare Board, established under the Education Welfare Act, 2000, to monitor attendance and help to get young people back to school. Enhancing attendance, progression, retention and attainment are central elements of DEIS. Targeted interventions include the School Completion Programme, Home School Community Liaison services, visiting teacher service for Travellers, additional funding for pupils at risk of early school leaving and alternative curricular options.

On Monday 18th May, I announced that from the start of the next school year, in September 2009, a single co-ordinated School Support Programme involving the Home School Community Liaison Scheme, the School Completion Programme and the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers will be integrated under the National Educational Welfare Board. This development will put in place structures to facilitate closer integration of the services at local, regional and national levels, increase effectiveness and help bring about real and meaningful improvements in services to confront in a cohesive way the underlying causes that impact negatively on the school life of children, particularly as they relate to school attendance, retention and attainment.

My Department has also widened the range of curricula available to students by promoting the Junior Certificate Schools Programme, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, and the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme in addition to the traditional Junior and Leaving Certificate curricula. I would like to assure the Deputy that we have greatly intensified our efforts in recent years to keep more young people in school and I will continue to prioritise further progress in this area.