Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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323. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide extra back-to-school support and grants for children in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36476/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In Ireland all immigrant children, including children in direct provision, can access first and second level education in a manner similar to Irish nationals.

Back to school supports that are available to eligible families come under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These supports include the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) scheme, which provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of school clothing and footwear when children start school each autumn. In 2017, 151,000 families received under the scheme, including some 530 families residing in direct provision accommodation. The Government has provided €49.5 million for the scheme in 2018 which is means tested scheme.  

In addition, in an attempt to reduce back to school costs for those living in direct provision accommodation centres, return to school packs have been provided in respect of some 1,100 school going children under the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) EU Programme which is managed by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.  The pack comprises of basic stationery items relevant to their educational level requirements. 

The Action Plan for Education, which aims to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe, commits to strengthen the focus on reducing school costs for parents.  In 2017 as Minister for Education and Skills, I, introduced measures that now requires school authorities to adopt principles of cost-effective practice which will put a greater emphasis on reducing the cost of school uniforms and increase the financial support for book rental schemes, in order to reduce/eliminate school book costs for parents.

Funding is provided by my Department for the provision of a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme, with DEIS schools receiving an enhanced rate. The Department provided approximately €16.5m in total to first and second level schools by way of book grants in 2017.

Primary and Post Primary schools received funding of €15.7m over three years 2014 – 2016 in support of the establishment of book rental schemes. DEIS schools received €150 per child and non-DEIS schools received €100 per child in seed capital to establish book rental schemes. The most recent figures available indicate that 65% of primary schools operate a book rental scheme and at post primary level 68% of schools reported operating a book rental scheme.  

At present as Minister for Education and Skills, I am introducing a requirement on every school to consult with parents and students regularly, and publish and operate a Parent and Student Charter. Some of the issues which schools will be required to deal with under the charter include:

- Consult students and parents regularly in relation to school costs and work to avoid costs acting as a barrier

- Publish a school financial statement which would include information on how any voluntary contributions are used

- Schools are encouraged to develop uniform policies in consultation with parents.  

The Bill to provide for a Parent and Student Charter is in the process of being drafted in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office. It will be published in the coming months.