Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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209. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have been selected for a scheme (details supplied); the strategy behind the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52942/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS), launched by the Department of Justice and Equality in June 2017, takes a whole of Government approach to improving the lives of Travellers and Roma in Ireland in practical and tangible ways.

As part of the NTRIS, officials from my Department, the Department of Justice and Equality and TUSLA have been engaging with Traveller representative groups to specifically identify and agree an approach to improving educational outcomes for Travellers and Roma. It is recognised that Traveller and Roma communities need more focused interventions to drive improvements in education attainment. It has been agreed that an initiative will be piloted across the country to trial a new approach to addressing these issues in Traveller and Roma Communities.

The pilot comprises a dedicated team (an Educational Welfare Officer, Home School Liaison Coordinator and 2 Traveller/Roma Education Workers) which will work together with parents, children and young people, schools, Traveller and Roma communities and service providers to remove the barriers impacting on Traveller and Roma pupil’s attendance, participation and retention in education.

It is intended that this pilot will inform the development of a sustainable programme to address the gap in educational outcomes for children and young people from the Travelling and Roma communities.

My Department, along with partners in the Tusla, the Department of Justice and Equality and Traveller representative groups are currently in the process of finalising the details of the pilot which will commence in 2019. While some schools have been contacted to date, the number of schools which will participate in the pilot has not yet been finalised.