Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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330. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the financial supports, grants and otherwise that are available for afterschool services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60946/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to funding provision, my Department provides a number of policies and programmes which are supportive of afterschool clubs or activities for students at risk of educational disadvantage.  

DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of the Department of Education to address educational disadvantage at school level.  In the 2022/23 academic year there are over 1,200 schools (967 primary and 235 Post Primary) in the DEIS Programme serving over 240,000 pupils.

Budget 2022 allocated the largest-ever increase in funding for the DEIS programme, providing for an additional allocation of €18 million in 2022 and rising to an additional €32 million in 2023. This means that by 2023 my Department will target over €180 million at addressing educational disadvantage through the DEIS programme, an increase of 20%.

In March I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme which means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage.

All DEIS schools receive a DEIS grant which is to be used to support the implementation of the schools’ DEIS Action Plan for Improvement. This Plan sets targets under key themes, such as attendance, retention, progression, literacy and numeracy, partnership, transition, wellbeing and examination attainment (post-primary only).  A key focus of these themes is that they are targeted at those students most at risk of educational disadvantage. It is a matter for the school Board of Management to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need; this can include afterschool activities.

The School Completion Programme (SCP) is available to DEIS post-primary and urban primary schools. SCP supports students in relation to school attendance, participation and retention. These interventions and supports may include afterschool clubs, which are allowable under the SCP funding. In March 2021 I announced a 5% increase in funding for the School Completion Programme to support the attendance and participation of vulnerable learners and those at risk of education disadvantage; a further 5% increase was provided under Budget 2023.

My Department's policy is to encourage the use of school facilities, where possible, for community, training and education-related activities. This would include after school activities. Any decision to make school facilities available lies with the relevant Trustees/ Property owners having regard to the requirements of the school, staff and students. To assist schools in considering applications for use of their facilities, my Department, in consultation with representatives of schools, has published guidelines on the use of school property outside of school hours, which are available here:

www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/guidelines-on-the-use-of-school-buildings-outside-of-school-hours.pdf

My Department plans to conduct a survey of a representative sample of schools on the use of school facilities after school hours for community and related uses. The results of this survey, which is due to commence in Quarter 1 2023, will be used to inform a review of the Guidelines on the use of School Buildings outside of School Hours.