Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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604.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the pilot cooperation programme on educational attainment; to provide the total allocation; the expenditure to date; the amount that is contained with expenditure ceilings laid out in the Stability Programme update and Summer Economic Statement and the amount that will have to come from additional funding; the date the project was started; and the projected date of completion, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[34811/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland are working collaboratively to develop and introduce a pilot cooperation programme to address educational disadvantage.

This pilot cooperation programme will run from 2024 until 2026 and will comprise elements on teachers’ research exchange, creativity in schools, and supports to address educational disadvantage.

Subject to Ministerial approval, on both sides, the programme will be continued in 2026 and 2027 with additional resourcing through the Shared Island Fund.

As set out in tabular format below, the Government has approved and allocated up to €24 million towards the pilot cooperation programme. To date, as the project has not yet begun operating, there has not been any expenditure drawn down.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the two Departments in respect of addressing educational disadvantage was signed in August 2024.