Vol. 530 No. 6
392 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science the help which is available from his Department or health boards to assist primary schools that wish to undertake a number of initiatives such as the provision of light meals, learning support, supervised homework, provision of washing machines, additional uniforms, counselling and psychological assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4602/01]
Schools receive funding from my Department to meet school running costs. My Department does not operate a national scheme for the provision of schools meals, supervised homework or school clothing. However, the eight to 15 years early school leavers initiative, which operated on a pilot basis from 1998 to 2000 and is now extended to 2002, involves 17 projects in 14 areas. Activities include learning support, homework support, meal provision, counselling and mentoring programmes. The annual funding for ESLI has increased to £6.5 million in 2001 and £7.1 million in 2002. These increases will support the expansion of ESLI into further areas of disadvantage and the inclusion of additional schools and communities. My Department is working on identifying new areas and schools for the expansion of this initiative. It also supported a number of after school support projects in 2000 under a fund for the development of educational responses to certain children at risk.
My Department administers a number of schemes for primary schools aimed at tackling educational disadvantage. Resources allocated under these programmes are to be used for the provision of a range of holistic supports to enable pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to participate fully in school.
The Deputy may be aware that my colleague, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, operates schemes for the provision of school clothing and footwear for needy pupils, school meals and after school supports services. A working group comprising representatives from the Departments of Social, Community and Family Affairs, Health and Children, the Environment and Local Government and my Department is evaluating the school meals scheme. This group is examining the scope of alternative policy and organisational approaches which might result in a more efficient and effective operation of the scheme.
Since September 1999, the learning support teacher service has been extended to every first and second level school in the country with a pupil-teacher ratio of 10:1 or above. Schools with lesser pupil-teacher ratios are entitled to apply to my Department for a learning support service where they can demonstrate a need for such support.
