Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on using the transition year in post-primary schools for the delivery of further education and training awards council level 5 older care course on an optional basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10757/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Transition Year is intended to act as an educational bridge between junior and senior cycles. Its objective is to broaden the students' experience of second level education by providing them with a variety of opportunities, both academic and practical.

The precise content of any transition year programme is decided by each school. Their programmes typically include elements designed to provide students with opportunities to experience new ways of learning, to enhance their skills for further studies, for work and for life. This is achieved by providing students with access to work experience - some of which may be in an elder care environment, if chosen by a student, to project work, enterprise education and interventions such as Young Social Innovators.

Schools are entitled to include modules appropriate to the needs and interests of their students and related to the resources available to them, including a variety of work experience opportunities.