Deputy Owen has given me notice of her intention to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the provision of education facilities for the many children of the travelling community about to be settled in Mulhuddart, County Dublin before Christmas.
Adjournment Debate. - Education Facilities for Travellers.
I thank you, Sir, for allowing me to raise this matter with the Department of Education.
Twice in the past couple of weeks I have endeavoured to raise the implications of a 30-family halting site at Mulhuddart in north County Dublin with the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Flynn. Twice the Minister indicated that he had no ministerial responsibility in the matter. Yet, as reported in The Irish Times today, I discover that the same Minister — because he was approached by Deputy Tunney of his own party — has now called for a major investigation into the provision of sites of this size in north County Dublin. I want to say how angry I am that the Minister would make an exception of somebody from his party and not be prepared to come here and tell me what investigation he will carry out.
Despite extreme warnings on the part of members of Dublin County Council and a section 4 motion ordering the manager not to proceed with this unwise proposal of such a large site, the Manager of Dublin County Council, Mr. John Prendergast, is insisting on going with its provision. Assuming that he will succeed——
I granted the Deputy permission to raise an educational aspect of this matter, specifically educational, with the Minister for Education or the Minister of State who is present. I must say I deprecate the fact that the Deputy has referred to matters appertaining to another Minister.
I am about to raise the matter of education. If the manager succeeds in providing this site I would like to raise with the Minister the serious implications for the education of these children moving onto the site. Travelling families, on average, have approximately six children. Bearing in mind that there will be provision for 30 families and that some of the children will be babies, there will be approximately 100 to 120 children requiring education, mostly of a primary nature.
Since the winding up of the National Council for Travellers there have been no full-time education workers available to assess the educational needs of these children. There are also no school attendance officers in County Dublin. I have been unable to ascertain how many children from the travelling community are not attending.
I want to know from the Minister what responsibility she is taking to provide for the educational needs of these children? For example, will she be demanding that local schools take in these children when those schools are already bulging at the seams, requiring remedial teachers for many deprived children attending them? The schools are already engaged in heavy fund-raising activites to provide minimal services at their schools.
Will the Minister consider providing a special school, as was done in 1969 at Labre Park in Ballyfermot, when a 39-family site was opened there? Will she provide pre-school classes for those children on the site, once opened. The site was to be provided before Christmas but, because of difficulties encountered on the site, may not be made available before Christmas. I might add some people have been jailed because of their opposition to this site.
I contend the Minister for Education has not taken sufficiently seriously the position of travelling children in the Mulhuddart/Blanchardstown area, with no assessment having been made of their educational requirements. I have endeavoured to discover whether there has been any assessment undertaken of places now available even for settled children, let alone these additional children of the travelling community. I have been told by a number of schools that they do not have any places whatsoever available for any children. If the Minister insists on local schools taking in these travelling children I want to know whether she will provide 100 per cent capital assistance to cover the extra teachers, accommodation and all the back-up facilities required for the proper education of deprived children of the travelling community.
I am very conscious of the difficulties faced by the large travelling community in the Mulhuddart/Blanchardstown area and of the need to provide educational facilities for their children.
Already, two schools in the Blanchardstown area, St. Patrick's and St. Francis Xavier, between them are successfully operating three special classes for 47 traveller children, and two others, Blakestown Senior and Huntstown, have indicated their willingness to accommodate a further 30 children.
I am aware also that 35 children can be accommodated in North William Street and Gardiner Street schools and am prepared to pay 98 per cent of the transport cost to those locations, should such an arrangement contribute in the short term. Placement in these city centre locations would be an interim measure only pending the provision of facilities in the Mulhuddart-Blanchardstown area.
In this regard my officials have ascertained that the authorities in St. Mochta's School, Clonsilla, and in St. Bridget's boys and girls' schools, Blanchardstown, have also indicated a willingness to assist.
In addition, negotiations are in hand or will shortly be initiated with further schools in the area. My Department will provide every encouragement and support to enable those schools to provide places for traveller children. I accord the highest priority to the educational welfare of traveller children and provide practical support through such means as a preferential pupil/teacher ratio and capitation grant. Special classes are established to cater for travellers in their own area, regardless of the duration of their stay in the area or the nature of their circumstances.
Traveller children may also enrol in ordinary classes in national schools. Indeed, this is a practice which I would encourage.
I will be keeping a close watch on developments in the Mulhuddart/ Blanchardstown area and will provide whatever assistance I can, within available resources.
I have noted carefully Deputy Owen's comments and will endeavour to establish the position in regard to some of the points she has raised. I agree with the Deputy's sentiments with regard to the need for much greater care in the education of traveller children. I would hope to have the matter examined further and respond to the Deputy.
By 100 per cent grant aid?
Mr. Fahey
Subject to available funds.