Funding is provided to schools on a per capita basis which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. This is in my view, in general, a preferable approach to putting in place grants for specific items such as student councils.
A recent survey by my Department reveals that student councils have already been established in 558 of the 743 post-primary schools in the State. Officials of my Department are participating in a working group on student councils, which was established in June 2003 by the National Children's Office. The working group, as part of its brief, will seek to identify the barriers, if any, to the establishment of student councils and the measures needed to encourage the establishment of student councils, including supports for student council structures at national and local level. On Tuesday, 23 March, as part of the ongoing work of the working group, my colleague, the Minister of State with special responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, launched a website and a national leaflet and poster campaign to encourage and support the establishment and operation of student councils.
The working group will report on its findings, including a proposed three year strategy to support the establishment and development of student councils, by December 2004.