Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 July 2021
250. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to staff shortages affecting the July provision in a school (details supplied); if a solution will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35513/21]
View answerI am aware of the school referred to and the issue raised. This correspondence is under consideration.
Children participating in a 2 week school based programme receive in excess of 40 hours tuition which is the maximum that can be availed of in the 4 week home-based programme.
The Government has approved the provision of significantly expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
This is an incredibly important Government decision, which ensures that for first time all primary and post primary schools have the opportunity to provide summer programmes for students with complex needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
The programmes for mainstream students in primary and post-primary schools are new programmes for 2021, building upon previous summer programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those in provided in DEIS schools last year.
Enhanced measures have been put in place to encourage participation of schools in this process, including reducing the administrative process, provision of funding to schools towards preparation and overseeing of the programmes, earlier payment of school staff and provision to recruit final year student teachers graduating this summer.
The programme is reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
It is a matter for the Board of Management of the school having regard to the resources available whether or not it will participate in the programme
Where a school offers a school based programme, it is not open to any student of that school to access the home based programme. This is in line with the approach last year.
