Richard Bruton
Question:29 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason additional money is not being provided to prevent applications under the early school leaver initiatives being rejected. [26000/98]
Priority Questions. - Early School Leavers.
The purpose of the current pilot phase of the early school leavers initiative is to test models of response to the problem of early school leaving. The objective was to select a range of strategic pilot projects in urban and rural areas of disadvantage which will develop models of good practice, with a view to their integration, after evaluation, into mainstream policy and practice.
As the objective at this stage is simply to test a range of models of response with a view to their possible wider application later, it is not necessary to replicate such models through funding a large number of similar projects.
A total of 14 project areas were selected for inclusion in the present phase of the initiative. Nine of the projects focus on large urban areas; three on provincial towns and two on rural areas. A total of £3.62 million is being made available to the project over the next two years. I am satisfied the selected projects will provide the required range of experience from which future approaches to the problem of early school leaving can be developed.
The operation of the pilot phase of the initiative will be kept under ongoing review. The question of extending the initiative will be considered in the light of experience gained with the models now being tested under the pilot phase. The Deputy will appreciate that mainstreaming provision at this stage, or providing funding irrespective of evaluation, would defeat the entire purpose of the programme. We must first discern what works best before disseminating it. The Deputy will also note that early school leaving has received unequalled attention from me over the past 18 months. lt was the subject of one of the first items I brought to the Cabinet. I assure the House that the priority which I have already shown for this area will inform other targeted interventions.
How is it the case that among the successful projects, 43 per cent of those from Cork were successful, whereas the national figure was 12 per cent? There appears to be an extraordinary favouritism towards one part of the country.
There was only one project from Cork. I was anxious that the area based approach would be adopted. In other words, where there are area partnerships, and there is an urban project in Cork, there would be some integration of existing services with the new pilot project. The Commission made it clear when advancing funding that it wanted different partners applying. In other words, it did not just want schools applying, but youth and community organisations and the area based approach. The area of Knocknaheeny, north west city, Mahon, Blackrock is a partnership area and is the area of highest disadvantage. It is also covered by the local drugs task force and by ADM. Dublin has a number of projects including Ballymun, Bonnybrook, Darndale, Priorswood, Clonshaugh, Jobstown and Killinarden. Limerick has Rosbrien, Southill and St. Munchen's.
I wish to ask a supplementary question before the Minister absorbs all the time available.
I would like to give examples of some projects. There are projects in Ennis, Navan, Dundalk, Bantry and Dunmanway.
Can the Minister assure the House that the criteria used in approving the projects were not influenced by him. Is it not extraordinary that one third of the money has been granted to Cork while Dublin with two and a half times the population will receive less money under the scheme? Is it desirable for political favouritism to operate in the process of selecting areas where early school leavers will benefit from State schemes?
I do not have exact figures for each area but the largest project was in Ballymun, Dublin.
I can provide the Minister with exact figures. The Minister has just given them to me. Cork received three projects, Dublin which has two and a half times the population of Cork, received four projects. The success rate for project applications in Dublin was 13 per cent. The success rate in Cork was 43 per cent. It is clear that the Minister has intervened in this process and I wish to know if he intervened to favour certain areas.
The Deputy asked about funding. The most expensive is the Ballymun project. It was probably the best application submitted.
The Minister is being deliberately evasive.
As you rightly said, Deputy, the time is limited.
I took an interest in these schemes because I was anxious that the projects in Cork would come under the umbrella of the area partnerships and would not be targetted at individual schools or focus points. It is important that we integrate whatever we do in this scheme with other initiatives being undertaken by the State. For example, in the URBAN initiative resources have been made available to disadvantaged schools to provide teaching-counsellors and psychologists. It would have made no sense to set up a new pilot project which would be separate from those already in place.
Areas in Dublin received significant funding. The Ballymun project received approximately £280,000. The Deputy's percentages are distorted.
The figures were provided by the Minister's Department.
The project consists of three strands, research, evaluation and——
On a point of order, the allocation of time for questions should provide a reasonable time for Opposition Deputies to ask supplementary questions. The Minister has occupied all the time on these questions. I asked two short supplementary questions and was not afforded the opportunity to which I am entitled.
The Minister is allotted two minutes for his initial reply. After that the time is shared between the Minister and the Opposition and that is not controlled by the Chair. A total time of six minutes is allotted for each question and that has now been exceeded.
The Minister has used crude political rules for the allocation of State funding and has sought to evade my questions.
I reject that. I have been interrupted every time I have endeavoured to reply. A check on the time taken by the Deputy and myself will show that Deputy Bruton took the greater portion of the time allotted.
I do not think so.