Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 571: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, further to the commitment to implement the report of the Travellers education strategy in the renewed programme for Government, the grants for the traveller education budget and capital grants cut in budget 2009 will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36721/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The report and recommendations for a Traveller education strategy was launched by my colleague the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, in November 2006. The report covers all aspects of Traveller Education from pre-school right through to further and higher education within a lifelong learning context. The primary aim of the strategy is to ensure a quality, integrated education for Travellers underpinned by the principles of inclusion and mainstreaming with an emphasis on equality and diversity and the adoption of an inter-cultural approach. This is in line with the Government's recommendations in the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR) (2005).

The principle of inclusion is at the core of the current strategy and future provision will focus on the development of more inclusive and inter-cultural school practice and environment through the whole school planning process, admissions policies, codes of behaviour and whole school evaluation. A key aim of the strategy is to enhance access and education service delivery to Travellers. Future provision will focus on "individual educational need" rather than "Traveller identity".

At present my Department spends some €77 million directly on Traveller education from pre-school through primary, post primary and further and higher education. Direct supports include some 503 resource teachers at primary level and additional teaching hours at post primary level. From 1 September 2009 the remit of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) was expanded to include responsibility for the Home School Community Liaison Service (HSCL), the School Completion Programme (SCP) and the Visiting Teacher Service (VTS) for Traveller pupils as well as the National Educational Welfare Service. This expanded remit will bring together the four individual services under one common management team thereby providing for a single, more focused, strategic direction at local, regional and national levels reflecting equally the nature and strength of each of the services. The underlying rationale for this new single strategic approach, acknowledging and utilising the combined strengths and capacities of the four services, is to deliver better outcomes for children, families and schools.

Under the expanded NEWB almost 700 personnel, including 42 visiting teachers for Travellers, who provide direct supports for Traveller pupils, are deployed throughout the country, including in schools serving disadvantaged communities, to support retention, attendance and participation by providing a range of in-school and out of school supports and by engaging with the salient adults in the lives of these children. There are no plans to increase the current level of enhanced capitation funding paid to schools in respect of traveller pupils enrolled