Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 1

Written Answers - Stay Safe Programmes.

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

285 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the fact that the policy of recording the number of primary schools that have or are implementing the stay safe programme is meaningless if no record is kept of the number of children attending; and if he will implement a procedure whereby the number of children who attend is recorded. [5819/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

While parents are at liberty to exempt their children from the stay safe programme in participating schools, experience has shown that the vast majority of pupils do in fact attend in schools where the programme is provided.

Accordingly, the figures maintained in my Department for the percentage of schools providing the programme give a relatively good indication of the percentage of children participating in the programme.

In the circumstances I would not regard it as essential to maintain a record of the numbers of pupils in individual schools who attend the stay programme.