Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the latest update on the rollout of the home-based programme for summer 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24620/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Details of the 2025 Summer Programme were published on the 13 February 2025. The annual budget to fund the Summer Programme has risen from funding of €20 million in 2021 to €62 million in Budget 2025, representing an increase of 210%. 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 so that these children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.

The main priority again in 2025 is that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme. Where their school is not running a Summer Programme or a place on a school-based programme is unavailable, the Home-based programme is also available for pupils with complex special educational needs.

As in previous years, details of the Home-based Summer Programme are published much later than the School-based Summer Programme. In 2024, details of the Home-based programme were also issued in May 2024. This is to ensure that as many schools and as many children as possible have signed up for the school-based Summer Programme.

It is anticipated that details of the Home-based programme, including full details on the eligibility criteria, will issue directly to schools by the end of this week. Details will also be published on www.gov.ie/summerprogramme.

A Department helpline is available for schools and parents at 090 648 4292 to address any specific queries regarding year’s Summer Programme. Queries concerning the school-based scheme can be directed to the schoolsummerprogramme@education.gov.ie. Queries concerning the Home-based scheme can be directed to the homebasedsummerprogram@education.gov.ie.