asked the Minister for Education if he will consider having investigated the reasons why there are so many children begging in the Dublin streets, in view of the dangers to the children and the seeming neglect of their education and general welfare.
Written Answers. - Child Beggars.
424.
I understand that the children concerned come in the main from a small number of travelling families. The question of begging by travelling women and children was dealt with in the Report of the Commission on Itinerancy (1963), and a further investigation is unlikely to add to our knowledge of the problem.
In co-operation with the National Council for Travelling People, my Department have organised a variety of educational facilities in the Dublin area to cater for the needs of travelling children. These include special classes in schools where the integration of the children in ordinary classes is not feasible. In the case of the more difficult children a special school and day care centre has recently been set up in Strand Street in association with the Eastern Health Board to which transport is provided from the various locations. A residential centre has also been established outside the city for a number of such children who cannot be catered for on a daily basis. It is hoped that in so far as action by the Department of Education can help to alleviate the problem to which the Deputy refers, these measures may be to some degree effective towards that end.