Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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183. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the English-language supports available to children who are international protection applicants (details supplied). [28444/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Ireland has a legal obligation to provide accommodation and associated supports to people who arrive in this country seeking international protection under S.I. No. 230/2018 - European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018.

While an international protection applicant’s application is being processed, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth (DCEDIY) though the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) provides accommodation to that applicant should they require it. Currently, those who IPAS cannot offer accommodation to are receiving an increased expense payment in place of this.

The Department of Education provides additional educational resources to schools for pupils who are learning English as an additional language (EAL).

I am informed by colleagues in the Department of Education that it has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment. This has been particularly effective in the context of the pace and volume of newly arrived students fleeing the war in Ukraine and the ongoing increase in students who require EAL supports to fully access the curriculum. The Department of Education’s policy is to integrate school-aged migrant children and young people into existing mainstream schools as quickly as possible, in the interests of their wellbeing and education.

The Department of Education has prioritised enhancing EAL support, recognising the critical role of language proficiency in successful integration and academic achievement.

These supports to schools, based on application process, are provided for new-entrant pupils (i.e., pupils arrived in the country in the last 2 years with an EAL requirement). Similar to previous years, supports may also be provided for schools with a high concentration of pupils that are not classified as new-entrant pupils but who have an EAL need i.e., those pupils with less than 3 years EAL support and register less than B1 in an English proficiency test.

The Department of Education's policies enable flexible resource allocation to ensure that the resources follow children in the event of them changing schools. Schools may also apply for further language support by an application process during the school year, should their circumstances change.