Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Jul 1990

Vol. 401 No. 6

Written Answers. - Secondary Education for Travellers' Children.

Madeleine Taylor-Quinn

Question:

55 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Education the number of children of travellers attending second level schools throughout the country; the system of co-ordination which exists within her Department at second level for the education of travellers; and the liaison system which operates between primary and second level.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The information requested in relation to the number of children of travellers attending second level schools is not available in my Department, as schools are not required to supply such information. I would not consider it appropriate that post-primary schools should be required to keep separate registers of children of travellers.

My Department provides funding for junior and senior training centres for travellers under the auspices of the VECs. Currently there are 45 such centres in operation. In so far as teaching services are concerned my Department, in accordance with the terms of theCode of Practice for Training Centres for Travellers allocates teaching hours to VECs on the basis of 100 teaching hours per week for a 24 place centre. Following consultations between the relevant sectors of my Department and the VECs regard is had to the pay and non-pay costs of these centres when financial resources are being allocated. Liaison between first and second-level education is a matter appropriate to the Department itself.