Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on expanding the creative clusters under the school's excellence fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49602/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Creative Clusters is a Department of Education initiative taking place as part of Creative Youth under the Schools Excellence Fund. A Creative Cluster consists of between three to five schools collaborating on the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of an innovative arts and creative learning project which supports them to address a common issue or challenge, identified by that cluster. Clusters may consist of primary schools only, post primary schools only or a combination of primary and post primary schools.

The Creative Clusters initiative commenced in the 2018/2019 academic year with the establishment of 23 clusters comprising 68 schools countrywide. Since then, 379 schools have been selected to take part in Creative Clusters.

Under this scheme to support schools to build capacity in creativity, each school will enjoy access to a specialist facilitator, an artist or creative with expertise in whatever their chosen area of interest or theme might be. These resources will help the schools to work together as a Cluster to work on a project of learning and activities tailor-made for their students.

In 2022, 21 Creative Clusters comprising 78 schools have been selected to participate in this initiative and the aim is to see this programme further enhanced over time.