Educational Disadvantage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 May 2016

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Questions (156)

Seán Canney

Question:

156. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education and Skills why his Department declined an application by a school (details supplied) for a pathways to literacy course; if he is aware that this school has Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools band 1 status, and this is the second year running that its pupils have been denied this important intervention; if he will increase funding availability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11385/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The "Exploring Literacy Through the Arts" Summer Camps are available to DEIS Band 1 schools and have been running since 2000 when three schools were invited to partake in a pilot project. The initiative now extends to 42 camps. The administration of the scheme is carried out on behalf of my Department by Navan Education Centre.

Schools are allocated funding on the basis of clearly defined criteria which includes the quality of the application, the geographic spread of camps and the requirement to include a proportion of schools new to the initiative. The particular school to which the Deputy refers has received funding to deliver a camp in 2008 and from 2011 to 2014. The school did not appeal the decision.