Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the mechanisms that have been put in place by him to monitor the attendance and support the progress of Traveller pupils in the education system at primary and post-primary level since the abolition of the visiting teacher service for Travellers, the removal of resource teachers for Travellers posts in schools and reduced transport services. [34043/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) charged with ensuring that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving.

While responsibility for the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) has transferred to my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the two Departments are working together to ensure that the services in the NEWB, including the School Completion Programme, Home School Community Liaison and the Education Welfare Service have a renewed focus to more effectively target and support all children at risk, including Traveller children.

The Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy which was launched in 2006, following wide ranging consultation with stakeholders including Traveller representatives covers all aspects of Traveller education from preschool to further and higher education. A core principle of the strategy is that allocation of resources is based on 'individual educational need' rather than 'Traveller identity'. My Department's aim is to prioritise available resources to maximum effect across the education sector to enhance educational outcomes for all children and adults including Travellers.

In the context of the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 and in keeping with the report, the Government has taken a decision to provide educational teaching supports to Traveller students on the same basis as other students in schools. Additional tuition is provided through the existing learning support provision in schools.

In order to assist schools with high concentrations of Traveller pupils, following the withdrawal of the Resource Teaching posts for Travellers, limited alleviation or adjustment measures are being provided. Furthermore Traveller enrolments have been included in the valid enrolment for the purpose of allocating additional staffing under DEIS from the 2011/12 school year.

The general position of my Department regarding the issue of school transport provision for Traveller children is to accommodate Traveller children within mainstream school transport provision rather than to promote segregation and marginalisation. This flows from the Traveller Education Strategy which states in respect of primary and post primary pupils that "Traveller children should use mainstream school transport in operation at present. Only in exceptional circumstances based on special needs should special transport be provided as a positive action measure". As a continuing positive measure, Traveller children availing of exceptional transport arrangements who meet the distance criterion are allowed retain their transport eligibility for the duration of their education at their current school of attendance.

The Traveller Education Strategy Advisory & Consultative Forum continues to identify issues, including obstacles, to the implementation of recommendations of the Traveller Education Strategy, examining appropriate responses to issues identified and reports to my Department's Traveller Strategy Implementation Group to highlight key issues of concern.