Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 October 2012
205. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been reached in respect of funding for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42812/12]
View answerMy Department has overall responsibility, under the Education Act 1998, for funding of recognised schools and does not have a separate funding stream in place to support stand alone projects such as that referred to by the Deputy.
However, my Department is currently liaising with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (to whom an approach for funding has also been made) to explore how support might be provided to the young people currently attending the project in question through the formal education system. The outcome of these deliberations will be communicated to the leader of the project in due course.
Enhancing attendance, progression, retention and attainment are central elements of DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, which remains my Department's policy instrument to address educational disadvantage. There are 4 post primary and 18 primary schools participating in DEIS in the area referred to by the Deputy.
The School Completion Programme (SCP), with 6 projects in the Tallaght area, comprising 6 post-primary and 24 primary schools, is an important component of DEIS in targeting children and young people who are at risk of early school leaving. The programme is designed to directly target those in danger of dropping out of the education system by providing in-school, after-school, out-of-school and holiday time supports to enhance the young person's readiness to benefit from education.
