Vol. 475 No. 7
176 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Education the number of schools currently participating in the Stay Safe programme; and the steps, if any, she intends taking to ensure that the programme is comprehensively provided in schools throughout the country. [5928/97]
The latest report to my Department from the Child Abuse Prevention Programme (CAPP) team regarding participation in the Stay Safe programme indicates that 2,400 schools approximately are already teaching the programme. It is expected that this figure should increase to 2,500 by the end of the current school year. A nationwide network of 40 teachers, capable of supporting the programme on a part-time basis, remains in place. The network is targeting, in particular, those schools which currently are not teaching the programme. I remain firmly committed to improving the coverage of the programme within the education system and to ensuring that adequate training is provided for teachers, parents and members of school boards.
