Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 352: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if language support is being provided in asylum and refugee centres; if there is a strategic plan in place for those in immigration centres; and the number of children of school going age in immigration centres who are not attending school. [27792/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Interpretation services are provided to asylum applicants by the Office of Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC), the purpose of which is to enable efficient and effective communication between the asylum applicant and the interviewing officer and to ensure that the asylum applicant has a full opportunity to put forward his or her case.

Language support for asylum seekers resident in centres operated under the aegis of the Reception and Integration Agency of my Department falls within the remit of the Department of Education and Skills. Adult asylum seekers are entitled to free access to Adult Literacy and English as a Second Language (ESOL) courses as well as mother culture supports. These are provided by VECs either on-site at some of the larger centres or at locations in the local community.

All children aged between 6 and 16 years, whether the children of asylum seekers or otherwise, are required by law to attend school and complete 3 years in second level school, whichever is the later. Asylum seeker children resident in RIA accommodation generally have a high attendance rate at school, although there are, of course, a few cases where children in this age-bracket have not attended school for short periods due to medical or other reasons.

All schools are required to make a return to the NEWB (National Education Welfare Board) of any child who has missed 21 or more days from school. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The NEWB has a key role in supporting parents where there are problems with school placement or attendance difficulties for their children in school. In addition, the NEWB has, in the past, issued information leaflets to parents and run public awareness campaigns to raise the profile of school attendance. The NEWB also operates an Education Helpline to provide information on attendance and related matters.

Finally, I should add that, to my knowledge, there are no children of asylum seekers resident in RIA accommodation centres at present not attending school.