Vol. 523 No. 4
240 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of resources identified within his Department for provision of additional facilities to primary and post primary schools for the education of asylum seekers; the manner in which these funds have been allocated to the various schools; the details in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21032/00]
No distinction is made between asylum seekers and other categories of non-nationals at primary or post-primary school level, where the provision of resources is concerned.
At primary level, an additional appointment is sanctioned in the case of schools which have fifteen or more non-national pupils enrolled to cater for their English language needs. To date, 62 teachers have been sanctioned for this purpose.
Where primary schools have smaller numbers of non-national pupils enrolled, grants are paid to enable the school authorities employ teachers on a part-time basis to provide English language support. These grants amount to £5,000 in the case of schools with four to nine such pupils and £7,500 where ten to fourteen pupils are enrolled. A small start-up grant is also payable. The total amount already paid out in grants to primary schools is £269,000.
At second level, my Department has allocated approximately 21 whole-time equivalent teaching posts in the current school year specifically to cater for the needs of pupils who do not speak English as their first language.
Where extra accommodation is shown to be necessary as a result of the enrolment of non-national pupils, my Department bears the cost of providing such accommodation.
My Department has established the refugee language support unit which is responsible for training of teachers catering for non-national pupils. That unit is also responsible for the preparation of benchmarks and teaching materials and for devising new English language programmes to non-nationals. The unit also delivers or organises for the delivery of English language courses for adult refugees. A total of £479,533 has been provided for the unit so far this year.
All non-national pupils who are validly enrolled are included in the overall school enrolment for the purposes of capitation, free books and other grant schemes operated by my Department.
