Written Answers. - Early School Leavers.
Derek McDowell
Ceist:
50
Mr. McDowell
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the projects which his Department is funding to tackle early school leaving; the location, number of students catered for and cost in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20185/99]
The fundamental objective in this regard is to increase retention rates so that pupils remain in school and complete senior cycle education. A range of measures is provided to prevent and address early school leaving including early intervention measures such as pre-schooling, remedial and home-school liaison services, Breaking the Cycle, co-ordination with other agencies, guidance and psychological services, and ancillary services and resources for schools in disadvantaged areas; curricular reforms to allow students to make choices relevant to their abilities and aptitudes – junior certificate schools programme, leaving cert applied and leaving cert vocational programme; second chance education and training through the provision of Youthreach and senior traveller training centres for unqualified school leavers and VTOS for long-term unemployed adults and a range of adult and community education measures; improved quality of education through investment in in-career development of staff, including school management and other strategies to cope with learning difficulties and disadvantage and counselling skills; and the provision of national certification for vocational training qualifications through the work of the NCVA and NCEA and the planned establishment of a national qualifications authority and further and higher education and training awards councils. These developments will assist in the promotion of quality standards in line with best international practice and the establishment of clear routes of progression from foundation awards to higher degrees.
Arrangements are under way to expand the remedial and home-school-community liaison services, so that all primary and post-primary schools will have access to a remedial service, and all schools designated as disadvantaged will have access to a home-school-community liaison co-ordinator.
Under the eight to 15 early school leavers initiative, my Department funds 14 pilot projects selected to test approaches to the development of integrated in-school and out-of-school responses to the needs of children at risk. The project will operate for two years from 1998-99 and 1999-2000. At second level, a new stay in school initiat ive is beginning under which, in the first phase, up to 40 schools will be granted additional assistance to draw up a multi-annual written retention agreement with the Department which sets out a programme of actions to be implemented locally on a multi-agency cross-community basis in order to encourage more students to remain in school. The administration arrangements for the scheme are being finalised at present, and the scheme is expected to come into operation shortly.
Work to establish a national educational psychological service is also progressing with the appointment of additional psychologists. The legislation under the Education (Welfare) Bill, 1999, is being processed, under which it is planned to raise the school leaving age and establish an educational welfare service to monitor school attendance and support families at risk so that their children remain in school.
The Youthreach and Traveller programmes for unqualified early school leavers were expanded by some 2,637 places in FÁS and vocational education committees in 1998 allied with the development of a guidance, counselling and psychological service. A new child care measure has also been introduced for participants in VTOS, Youthreach and senior traveller training centres, facilitating direct provision of crèches, purchase of places on existing crèches, and payment of childminders – £2 million. In addition, the budget for adult literacy initiatives has been increased by a further £2.6 million in 1999 to £5.665 million.
Information on the eight to 15 early school leaver initiatives, together with a list of Youthreach and senior traveller centres in the education sector has been provided in tabular form which I propose to circulate with the Official Report. The average unit costs for a Youthreach and traveller training centre place are £6,910 and £10,119 respectively, inclusive of training allowances.
A range of other projects are supported by other Departments and agencies through the Springboard initiative, the work of area based partnerships, EU Community initiatives and Combat Poverty Agency demonstration projects. Details of these projects are available from the relevant agencies.
8-15 Early School Leavers Initiative
Selected Projects and Funds Allocated:
|
Name of Project
|
Target Group
|
Allocation Per Annum
|
URBAN
|
|
|
|
Dublin
|
Ballymun
|
141
|
£175,000
|
|
Jobstown
|
18
|
£55,000
|
|
Bonnybrook/Darndale/Priorswood/Clonshaugh (Combined Projects)
|
10543
|
£117,000
|
|
Killinarden
|
50
|
£55,000
|
Limerick
|
Rosbrien/Southill (Combined Projects)
|
50171
|
£140,000
|
|
St. Munchin's Parish
|
61
|
£50,000
|
Cork
|
Knocknaheeny/North West City(Combined Projects)
|
2148
|
£260,000
|
|
Mahon/Blackrock, Cork city
|
41
|
£125,000
|
|
Name of Project
|
Target Group
|
Allocation Per Annum
|
Waterford
|
Ballybeg/Lisduggan, Waterford City
|
123
|
£120,000
|
|
|
|
|
TOWNS
|
|
|
|
Clare
|
Ennis
|
54
|
£65,000
|
Louth
|
Cox's Demesne/Muirtheimhne Mór, Dundalk
|
46
|
£75,000
|
Meath
|
Navan
|
44
|
£54,900
|
|
|
|
|
RURAL
|
|
|
|
Cork
|
Bantry/Dunmanway
|
79
|
£80,000
|
Kerry
|
North Kerry
|
98
|
£70,000
|
Youthreach Programme 1999
V.E.C.
|
Youthreach Centre
|
Placesapproved
|
County Cavan
|
Cavan TownKingscourt
|
3020
|
County Clare
|
KillalloeKilrushEnnistymonEnnis
|
20202025
|
County Cork
|
MallowYoughalFermoyBallincollig
|
35352540
|
City of Cork
|
Knocknaheeny
|
45
|
|
Dean Street
|
25
|
|
Glen
|
25
|
City of Dublin
|
North Great Georges Street
|
55
|
|
Pleasant Street
|
80
|
|
Ballyfermot
|
64
|
|
Harmonstown
|
60
|
|
Bonnybrook
|
35
|
|
Basin Lane
|
55
|
|
Ballymun
|
60
|
|
Cabra (not yet operational)
|
25
|
|
Dominic Lane
|
78
|
|
All Centres
|
24
|
|
Parnell Street
|
18
|
County Dublin
|
Blanchardstown
|
50
|
|
Clondalkin
|
37
|
|
Killinarden, Tallaght
|
50
|
|
Old Bawn, Tallaght
|
25
|
|
Lucan
|
25
|
|
Rush
|
25
|
|
Swords
|
25
|
|
Rathfarnham
|
25
|
|
Balbriggan
|
13
|
|
Rowlagh
|
13
|
Dún Laoghaire
|
Sallynoggin(not yet operational)
|
25
|
County Donegal
|
Buncrana
|
25
|
|
Letterkenny
|
40
|
|
Gortahork/Culkeeny
|
25
|
|
Ballyshannon
|
25
|
|
Lifford (not yet operational)
|
10
|
Galway City
|
Mervue
|
25
|
|
Ballybane(not yet operational)
|
25
|
County Galway
|
Letterfrack
|
45
|
|
Ballinasloe
|
25
|
|
Lettermullen
|
25
|
|
Tuam
|
25
|
County Kildare
|
Leixlip
|
30
|
|
Athy
|
30
|
|
Naas/Newbridge(not yet operational)
|
20
|
County Kilkenny
|
Kikenny
|
25
|
V.E.C.
|
Youthreach Centre
|
Placesapproved
|
County Kerry
|
Listowel
|
25
|
|
Tralee
|
50
|
|
Kenmare
|
10
|
|
Cahirciveen
|
10
|
County Laois
|
Mountmellick
|
50
|
Count Limerick
|
Hospital
|
25
|
|
Rathkeale/Shanagolden
|
40
|
Limerick City
|
O'Connell Avenue
|
60
|
|
St. Martin's
|
40
|
Longford
|
Lanesboro
|
30
|
|
Longford
|
15
|
|
Granard
|
10
|
Louth
|
Dundalk
|
45
|
|
Drogheda
|
40
|
County Mayo
|
Ballinrobe
|
25
|
|
Ballina
|
55
|
|
Kiltimagh
|
30
|
County Meath
|
Navan
|
35
|
|
Ashbourne
|
25
|
County Monaghan
|
Monaghan Town
|
31
|
|
South Monaghan
|
10
|
County Offaly
|
Edenderry
|
25
|
County Roscommon
|
Ballaghadreen
|
25
|
County Sligo
|
St. Anne's T.C.
|
60
|
Tipperary N.R.
|
Roscrea
|
60
|
Tipperary S.R.
|
Tipperary Town
|
35
|
Waterford City
|
66 O'Connell Street
|
50
|
County Waterford
|
Dungarvan
|
25
|
County Westmeath
|
Delvin/Mullingar
|
25
|
County Wexford
|
Enniscorthy
|
50
|
|
New Ross
|
25
|
|
Wexford
|
50
|
County Wicklow
|
Bray
|
80
|
|
Arklow
|
30
|
|
Wicklow Town
|
50
|
Total
|
|
2,908
|
Senior Traveller Training Centres Programme 1999 Provision
V.E.C.
|
Centre
|
Placesapproved
|
County Carlow
|
Cox's Lane
|
30
|
County Clare
|
Ennis
|
28
|
City of Cork
|
Blackpool
|
24
|
City of Dublin
|
HFC, Glasnevin
|
12
|
|
Barry Road, Finglas
|
12
|
County Dublin
|
Bray (County Wicklow)
|
30
|
|
Coolock
|
30
|
|
Clondalkin
|
24
|
|
Tallaght
|
30
|
County Donegal
|
Letterkenny
|
39
|
Galway City
|
Sandy Road
|
48
|
V.E.C.
|
Centre
|
Placesapproved
|
County Galway
|
Tuam
|
30
|
|
Ballinasloe
|
24
|
|
Loughrea
|
24
|
County Kerry
|
Killarney
|
24
|
County Laois
|
Postlaoise
|
24
|
County Leitrim
|
Carrick-on-Shannon
|
21
|
County Limerick
|
Abbeyfeale
|
12
|
|
Rathkeale
|
24
|
Longford
|
Longford
|
30
|
Louth
|
Dundalk
|
24
|
County Mayo
|
Ballina
|
24
|
County Meath
|
Navan
|
36
|
County Offaly
|
Tullamore
|
35
|
Tipperary N.R.
|
Thurles
|
20
|
County Westmeath
|
Athlone
|
24
|
County Wexford
|
New Ross
|
24
|
County Wicklow
|
Bray (see County Dublin)
|
|
Total
|
|
707
|