Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a request to sanction the summer programme for one week for eight classes was refused in the case of a person (details supplied); if this school’s case can be examined at the earliest opportunity, with a view to ensuring a consensus to run at least a week’s programme given the importance of the school to local children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24164/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Details of the 2024 Summer Programme were published on the 21st March 2024. The Department of Education also recently announced that funding of €40m has been secured again to ensure that a comprehensive summer programme will be available in 2024. This builds on the successful summer programmes of the last three years. The full funding of €40m is available and, as in previous years, all of the funding is utilised to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.

All schools have an opportunity to run a programme over the summer months for those children who need it the most. These children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.

The main priority again in 2024 is that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.

I can assure you that every effort is being made to facilitate special schools, and indeed all schools, in running a school-based summer programme. While ideally schools would run the summer programme for 4 weeks, there is a minimum period for running a programme of 2 weeks to reflect the level of organising involved and to support children taking part as much as possible. I would urge all schools, including the school concerned, to look at the supports available such as the staff portal and the student teacher placement in special schools to assist them in running a programme for this minimum period.

The Summer Programme is reliant on schools and their staff choosing to participate on a voluntary basis. To this end, the Department has engaged with management bodies, schools and parents with a view to encouraging more schools to participate in the 2024 programme.

A key barrier to the participation of schools previously has been the availability of staff, particularly those experienced staff already working in the schools. In 2023, to maximise the number of schools participating in the Summer Programme, funding was targeted and teachers and SNAs working on the school-based scheme were paid a higher personal rate of pay. As a result, the Department has seen a much larger number of schools taking part, particularly in Special Schools, and we expect this to increase even further for 2024.

A new role of Student Teacher Placement in Special Schools has been introduced this year to encourage student teachers to participate in the summer programme. Paid placements can run from the 3rd week in May to the end of the Programme, greatly benefitting schools during this busy period. Special Schools can recruit up to two graduate teachers and final year PME student teachers, bolstering the capacity of schools to deliver the programme.

Schools have also been given the flexibility to engage staff that are not employed in their schools to support their summer programme. A staff portal is now available on www.educationposts.ie for teachers and SNAs to register their interest in working on a school-based programme in a Special School. Student teachers and students in relevant disciplines such as Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Social Care, Nursing and others, including Early Learning and Care Practitioners, will also be able to register their interest in working on this year’s Programme.

All the supports and incentives introduced, both in 2024 and in previous years, have been developed and designed to increase participation by allowing all schools to provide the Summer Programme. These measures are aimed at maximising the number of children who can participate in a school-based programme with a specific focus on ensuring children with the most complex needs receive the targeted support.