Michael Creed
Ceist:127 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education the assistance, if any, that is available from her Department towards the provision of a family resource centre. [9884/96]
Written Answers. - Family Resource Centre.
The Government is committed to promoting the active participation of parents at every level of the education process. It also supports the right of parents to be consulted, as part of a collaborative process for educational decision making and policy making at school, regional and national level.
As part of national education policy, it is essential to adopt a range of measures aimed at fostering active parental partnership with schools. At national level, the National Parents' Council is formally recognised as the representative body for parents at first and second levels. Parents are full partners in the consultative process between the Minister for Education, the Department and the other partners in education. Under the proposed legislation arising from the implementation of the objectives of the White Paper on Education, parents will be given a statutory entitlement to representation on each school board of management and each education board. A statutory duty will be placed on boards of management to promote the setting up by parents of a parents' association in every school in receipt of Exchequer funding. In the context of developing dynamic and supportive links between the home and the school, each board of management will be required, as part of its school plan, to develop a formal home school links policy.
If the Deputy has a specific initiative in mind, I would ask him to convey the details to me and I will have the matter considered within my Department.