Thomas Byrne
Ceist:173. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of his engagement with Traveller organisations. [15077/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 2 April 2019
Ceisteanna (173)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department has significant engagement with National Traveller organisations in the context of the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) to advance initiatives to improve educational outcomes for Traveller students. Officials from my Department attend at the NTRIS Plenary Steering Group meetings in addition to the NTRIS Education subgroup which meet regularly throughout the year.
In addition to the above, as part of NTRIS, officials from my Department together with officials from TUSLA, DCYA and the Department of Justice and Equality, have been engaging with Traveller representative groups to establish a Pilot project aimed at improving educational outcomes for Travellers and Roma students. There has been significant engagement over recent months on this project.
In the area of Higher Education, the National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education aims to ensure that the student body entering, participating in and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland’s population. Strand 3 of the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) fund supports a range of new initiatives to encourage disadvantaged groups, including Travellers to participate in third level education over the next three years. These initiatives include mentoring and peer support measures. Funding of €2.5 million per annum is available for PATH Strand 3 for three years.
PATH Strand 2 provides €6m to be invested in “The 1916 Bursaries Fund” over three years for the most socio economically disadvantaged students from under-represented target groups including Travellers. A steering group of the National Access Plan was set up to monitor progress and provide advice on specific aspects of the Plan. Pavee Point is represented on this group.
A PATH seminar was held in November 2018 and this included representatives from the Traveller Groups. There was also strong representation from Traveller groups at the recent National Access Forum held by the Department of Education and Skills on 14 March 2019. The Traveller perspective and voice featured prominently in the Forum’s discussions on the ongoing implementation of the National Access Plan.
In summary, in the past 6 months sixteen meetings have been held involving representatives from my Department with Traveller Representative groups and a list of these meetings is attached. This list excludes engagement by other bodies and agencies under my remit. For example, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has also engaged with Traveller representatives in the context of an audit of Traveller History and Culture in the curriculum.
Department of Education and Skills Engagement with Traveller Representative Groups 1st September 2018 to 29th March 2019.
|
Date of Engagement |
Details of Engagement |
Traveller Organisations Involved |
|
17th September 2018 |
NTRIS Education Sub Committee |
Pavee Point Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre Tuam National Traveller Women’s Forum Involve Irish Traveller Movement |
|
26th September 2018 |
Steering Group National Access Plan |
Pavee Point |
|
2nd October 2018 |
NTRIS Plenary Group |
Irish Traveller Movement Parish of the Travelling People Pavee Point Involve Bray Travellers Minceirs Whiden National Traveller Women’s Forum |
|
5th November 2018 |
NTRIS Pilot Oversight Group Meeting |
Pavee Point Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre Tuam National Traveller Women’s Forum Involve Irish Traveller Movement |
|
3rd December 2018 |
NTRIS Pilot Oversight Group Meeting |
Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre Tuam National Traveller Women’s Forum |
|
18th December 2018 |
NTRIS Education Sub Committee |
Pavee Point Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre Tuam National Traveller Women’s Forum Involve Irish Traveller Movement |
|
10th January 2019 |
NTRIS Pilot Oversight Group Meeting |
National Travellers Women's Forum Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre Tuam |
|
14th January 2019 |
NTRIS Pilot Oversight Group Meeting |
National Travellers Women's Forum Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre, Tuam, |
|
16th January 2019 |
NTRIS Plenary Group |
Pavee Point National Traveller Women’s Forum Irish Traveller Movement Parish of the Travelling People Minceirs Whiden |
|
Date of Engagement |
Details of Engagement |
Traveller Organisations Involved |
|
21st January 2019 |
NTRIS Education Sub Committee |
Pavee Point Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre, Tuam National Travellers Women’s Forum Irish Traveller Movement Parish of the Travelling People |
|
24th January 2019 |
Steering Group National Access Plan |
Pavee Point |
|
5th February 2019 |
NTRIS Pilot Oversight Group Meeting |
National Travellers Women’s Forum Irish Traveller Movement |
|
20th February 2019 |
Pavee Point Workshop on NTRIS Pilot |
Pavee Point Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre, Tuam National Travellers Women’s Forum Irish Traveller Movement Travact Wexford Traveller Mental Health Group |
|
22nd February 2019 |
Meeting in relation to Traveller Education Issues |
Pavee Point |
|
4th March 2019 |
NTRIS Pilot Oversight Group Meeting |
Pavee Point Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre, Tuam National Travellers Women’s Forum Irish Traveller Movement |
|
28th March 2019 |
NTRIS Education Sub Committee |
Pavee Point Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre, Tuam National Travellers Women’s Forum Irish Traveller Movement Parish of the Travelling People |