Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 61: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reasons she has withdrawn the visiting teachers' service for Travellers; the effect this withdrawal of service will have on the travelling community; the numbers benefiting from this service; the number of teachers affected; if jobs will be lost as a result; if any analysis has been carried out to evaluate this service; the outcome of such review; if she will publish same and if not, why not; if any consultations have taken pace with Traveller organisations, community groups or teachers or any other parties involved directly in this service; the details of same; the recommendations or views of any such group; the full cost of the service per annum and each cost subhead; the way the service can be supplied in the future; if she will reconsider her decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3152/11]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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In recent years substantial improvements have been made with regard to the number of Traveller children participating in the education system. Information to hand indicates that participation at primary level and transition to post-primary is very close to 100%. In September 2009, 8,301 Traveller children were enrolled in age appropriate classes in primary schools and 3,014 were enrolled at Post-Primary level.

The decision to remove this service is just one of a range of measures, included in the National Recovery Plan 2011 to 2014, to secure some €24m in savings in the 2011/2012 school year. The service will therefore be discontinued with effect from 31 August 2011. My Department is currently engaged in discussions with unions representing the Visiting Teachers to address issues of concern for them.

This service has cost in the region of €2.8million each year. At present there are 41 posts in this service. Until September 2009 the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers was managed directly by the Regional Office Directorate within my Department. In September 2009 the Service was transferred to the National Education Welfare Board to be integrated with existing school support services. No formal evaluation of the service has been undertaken.

The Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy was launched in 2006, following wide-ranging consultation with relevant stakeholders including Traveller representative groups, and covers all aspects of Traveller education from pre-school to further and higher education. The principle of inclusion is at the core of the strategy and future provision must focus on the development of more inclusive and intercultural 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'. This will depend on a number of factors including the successful implementation of the recommendations of the strategy and the redistribution in favour of provision on the basis of identified educational need of Traveller students and the need for my Department to prioritise the available resources to maximum effect across the education sector to enhance educational outcomes for all including Traveller children and adults.

The set of measures included in the National Recovery Plan 2011 to 2014 impacts on every sector of the public service and will unquestionably lead to significant challenges for schools as well as the Department in the coming years. The major challenge will undoubtedly be to seek improved outcomes for children with fewer resources.