Selection and enrolment of pupils is a matter for the managerial authorities at first and second level. Where parents or guardians encounter difficulties in securing a suitable placement, it is open to them to raise the matter with my Department and I will arrange for appropriate inquiries to be made. However, to date, I am not aware that refugees experience undue difficulty in securing placements in our schools.
The publication referred to by the Deputy was circulated to schools in 1997 to assist in the promotion of learning activities related to the European Year Against Racism.
As a matter of general policy, my Department is supportive of initiatives which contribute towards the increased integration of refugees and their children into our society through the provision of additional teaching support at school level and special English language training for adults. In addition, my Department has since 1995 provided funding to the Refugee Agency to meet the cost of mother tongue classes for the Bosnian children of refugees. Mother tongue and culture classes for Vietnamese children, which have been operated by Dublin VEC since 1995, are also funded by my Department.
