Vol. 541 No. 2
1123 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that the breakfast and lunch club at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 8 will continue to operate; and his views on the content of a report (details supplied). [22051/01]
My Department operates a number of schemes aimed at tackling educational disadvantage under which resources are allocated for the provision of a range of holistic supports to enable pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to participate fully in school. These include the 8-15s early school leaver initiative and the stay in school retention initiative. The position of the school referred will be considered in any future expansion of these schemes.
My colleague, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, operates a scheme for the provision of after school support services. Furthermore, he has established an interdepartmental working group, on which my Department is represented, to review the existing school meals scheme with a view to developing proposals for the future of school meals provision. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs operates the existing school meals scheme in conjunction with various local authorities. The work of this group is continuing at present and I understand that it is hoped to finalise its report in the near future.
