Educational Disadvantage.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 October 2004

Wednesday, 27 October 2004

Ceisteanna (68)

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

171 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will commission a cost benefit analysis in terms of the investment required to keep a child from a disadvantaged area within the school system up to leaving certificate level, the tax revenues arising from better paid employment balanced against the costs of educating the child, the loss of earnings of a child that leaves school early and the possible social welfare cost and the possible costs of imprisonment in view of the fact that children who leave school early are more likely to become engaged in criminal activity; if such a cost benefit analysis has been carried out extensively before; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26060/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

Educational disadvantage has been the source of a wide range of national and international research in recent years. Extensive research has been carried out in relation to economic return from investment in education. For instance, the annual school leavers' survey shows the clear advantage of completing upper second level education in terms of less time spent seeking work, greater capacity to progress to employment or further study, less risk of unemployment and earning levels. The data involved highlights the inter-generational effect of educational disadvantage, as it is the children of the unemployed who are most likely to leave school early and be unemployed themselves.

I am committed to ensuring our policies strive to increase the retention rate of students in our schools.

Question No. 172 answered with QuestionNo. 129