Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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91. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the first- and full-year estimated cost of expanding the summer programme by 2% up to 10%. [39859/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the first- and full-year cost of expanding the summer programme by 2% up to a maximum of 20%. [39934/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 109 together.

The Department of Education and Youth’s Summer Programme is an educational programme which is run during the summer period. Each year, all schools are given an opportunity to run a programme for those children who need it the most.

The aim of the Summer Programme is to ensure that these children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.

Our main priority is ensuring that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme. To encourage schools to run a Summer Programme, a range of supports and measures have been introduced. For special schools, these include a bespoke pilot programme, a national coordinator, a shorter school day and additional grant funding. For all schools, supports include key leadership roles, higher personal rate of pay for staff, enhanced capitation, a transport grant and earlier staff payments.

Where a 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.

Between 2021 to 2024, €40 million in funding had been allocated each year to the Summer Programme. For this year’s programme, funding of €62 million was secured in Budget 2025 to ensure its continuance. This represents a 55% increase on the funding previously provided.

It should be noted that the full budget for the summer programme is provided for in each calendar year. If the current funding of €62 million for the 2025 Summer Programme were to be increased by 2% up to 20% as suggested by the Deputy, it is estimated it would increase as follows: