Richard Bruton
Ceist:363 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science when he will implement the task force report on the education of travelling people. [25690/98]
Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.
The report to which the Deputy refers contains more than 160 separate recommendations relating to the education and training of travellers. The recommendations are very wide-ranging and span the full spectrum of provision from pre-school to adult education.
An inter-departmental working group was convened to consider implementation of this report. The working group concluded that co-ordination of the delivery of education services for travellers could best be addressed by establishing a special committee in my Department to oversee the delivery of education services for travellers. This committee is involved in drawing up a comprehensive plan for the implementation of those task force recommendations approved by Government. I understand that the committee is currently focusing on a plan to address the educational needs of traveller pupils at post-primary level and that it has consulted with traveller representatives in this regard.
In line with the recommendations of the task force report, the number of visiting teachers for travellers was increased in 1997 from 12 to 20. My Department is also continuing its support for traveller children at primary level through the provision of special resource teachers for travellers. There are currently 363 such posts in place and serving traveller pupils integrated into 309 primary schools.
In April of this year, my Department took over responsibility from the Department of Enterprise and Employment for senior traveller training centres, which cater for travellers in the 15 to 25 age group.
I also recently announced the establishment of an Advisory Committee on Traveller Education which I believe will complement the services already in place and help to address the educational issues which affect the travelling community. The inclusion of traveller representatives on this committee will give travellers a real voice in shaping educational provision for future generations of traveller children and adults. I am committed to ensuring that the process of implementing those recommendations in the task force report which have been approved by Government will continue in my Department.