Written Answers. - Task Force on the Travelling Community.
Liz O'Donnell
Ceist:
13
Ms O'Donnell
asked the
Minister for Education
if her attention has been drawn to the grave misgivings expressed by interest groups concerning the lack of response by her Department to the recommendations of the Task Force on the Travelling People on Education; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17290/96]
Mary Harney
Ceist:
45
Miss Harney
asked the
Minister for Education
the action, if any, her Department has taken on the recommendations of the Task Force on the Travelling People in respect of education; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18049/96]
Peadar Clohessy
Ceist:
55
Mr. Clohessy
asked the
Minister for Education
if her attention has been drawn to the misgivings expressed by interest groups concerning the lack of response by her Department to the recommendations of the Task Force on the Travelling People on Education; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18060/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 45 and 55 together.
I am aware that a number of concerns have been raised regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force on the Travelling Community. However, I can assure the House of my continuing commitment to meeting the educational needs of travellers. The report to which the Deputies refer contains more than 160 separate recommendations relating to education and training for travellers. The recommendations are very wideranging and span the full spectrum of provision from pre-school to adult education.
Following publication of the report in July 1995 the Government established an interdepartmental working group, under the aegis of the Department of Equality and Law Reform and including representatives of all Government Departments with an involvement in the area, to consider the feasibility of implementing the recommendations. The working group reported earlier this year. The recommendations which have implications for my Department are now being pursued.
The report of the task force recommended that additional posts be allocated to the visiting teacher service for travellers. I am pleased to announce that I have decided to allocate a further three teachers to this service in the current year. These posts will be advertised shortly. The report also recommended that responsibility for senior traveller training centres, which cater for 15 to 25 year old travellers, be transferred from the Department of Enterprise and Employment to the Department of Education. Agreement in principle has been reached on this issue and my Department is working on the detailed arrangements for this transfer.
In addition, the interdepartmental group concluded that the co-ordination of the delivery of education services for travellers could best be addressed by creating a special committee in my Department, which would consult with the various interest groups, including traveller organisations. Arrangements are under way for the establishment of this committee.
My commitment to the future development of education services for travelling people is set out clearly in the White Paper on Education, Charting our Education Future. My aim, as set out in the White Paper, is to promote the full and inclusive participation of travellers at all levels of the education system.
