Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 April 2021
69. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education her plans to approve an extra home school community liaison post to a school (details supplied) in view of the large number of pupils served by the present post; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22480/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme is a key support of the DEIS Programme. The posts are funded by my Department. The HSCL Scheme is available to a total of 532 schools catering for over 160,000 pupils.
In the 2020/21 school year, the scheme is delivered by 415 full-time HSCL Coordinators who are teachers in these schools at a total estimated cost of €28m.
These schools are among approximately 200 which have a shared HSCL coordinator post. Where a post is shared between 2 or more schools, it is a matter for the relevant school principals to ensure, collaboratively and in line with their DEIS action plans, that resources available to the schools are allocated in accordance with the needs identified within the schools. There are no current plans to change the HSCL coordinator allocation to DEIS schools.
