Written Answers Nos. 139-158
139. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a schedule of all special advisors that are, or were, attached to him, to include Ministers of State special advisors, by grade, duration of role held and point on the pay scale. [38362/24]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the details of all Special Advisors during my period in office as the Minister for Finance are set out in the Table below:
|
Role |
Equivalent Grade |
Point on Scale |
Duration |
|
Special Advisor to the Minister for Finance (Minister Jack Chambers, T.D.) |
Principal Officer |
4 |
26/06/2024 - present |
|
Special Adviser to the Minister for Finance (Minister Jack Chambers, T.D.) |
Principal Officer |
4 |
26/06/2024 - present |
|
Special Adviser to the Minister of State (Minister of State Neale Richmond, T.D.) |
Assistant Principal Officer |
2 |
09/04/2024 - present |
140. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if availing of a shared equity scheme either through first homes or through a local authority scheme can hamper the extent to which help-to-buy entitlements can be claimed; if he has considered extending the concession made to those using the local authority scheme to also cover those availing of first homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38376/24]
View answerThe Help to Buy (HTB) incentive is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. The incentive gives a refund on Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax paid in the State over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation.
HTB, as provided for by section 477C of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, only applies where a mortgage is taken out to purchase or build a home and where the value of the qualifying loan is a minimum of 70% of the ‘purchase value’ of a purchased new build or 70% of the approved valuation of a self-build.
In Finance (No. 2) Act 2023, HTB was amended to enhance its interaction with the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme (LAAPS). This amendment enabled the use of the affordable dwelling contribution received through the LAAPS for the purposes of calculating the 70 per cent loan-to value requirement, thereby facilitating access to a greater number of LAAPS purchasers to the HTB scheme. The affordable dwelling contribution received from the Local Authority under LAAPS is included in the numerator when calculating the 70 per cent loan-to-value ratio.
The First Home Scheme (FHS) already has a built-in mechanism that allows it to work in tandem with HTB by reducing the equity stake available to purchasers to 20% in cases where HTB is claimed.
As with all tax incentive schemes, there will always be individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria. In designing tax reliefs, there is a balance to be struck between providing support to as many people as possible consistent with the overall policy intention behind the measure and ensuring that the limited Exchequer resources are managed appropriately.
In relation to the question of any potential amendments to HTB pertaining to LAAPS or FHS, as the Deputy will appreciate, it is a longstanding practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment, in advance of the Budget, on any matters that might be the subject of Budget decisions.
141. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Finance the annual cost of the Fiscal Advisory Council (FAC), from 2020 to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if this cost can be justified in view of the fact that the Government has ignored the FAC’s advice in each year of the current Government’s term. [38390/24]
View answerThe Irish Fiscal Advisory Council ("the Council") was first set up on a non-statutory basis as part of the reform of Ireland’s budgetary architecture in 2011. It was established in law the following year, with the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council ("the Council") is an independent statutory body.
The Council makes a valuable contribution to the public debate and plays an important part in our budgetary cycle.
The Council have a mandate to assess and endorse, as the Council consider appropriate, the macroeconomic forecasts prepared by the Department of Finance twice a year, to assess the official budgetary forecasts, to assess the fiscal stance of Government and to monitor and assess compliance with the budgetary rule as set out in the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The Fiscal Responsibility Act provides that the Council is funded directly by the Central Fund (Exchequer) and indexed each year in line with the annual change in the rate of inflation (HICP rate). The decision to enshrine the Council’s funding mechanism in legislation in this manner reflects the importance placed by Government on preserving the Council’s financial independence as well ensuring adequate funding into the future.Payments made out of the Central Fund to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council are published in the annual Finance Accounts, available at www.gov.ie/en/collection/1f1c3a-finance-accounts/ . The figures are reproduced below for the Deputy’s convenience. The figure for 2024 is as of the end-August Fiscal Monitor, available at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/d22ea-fiscal-monitor-august-2024/ .
Table: Payments from Central Fund to Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (2020 – 2024)
|
Year |
(€000) |
|
2020 |
731 |
|
2021 |
648 |
|
2022 |
730 |
|
2023 |
792 |
|
2024 (to date) |
424 |
142. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Finance to outline the various incomes of taxpayers by income decile; and the estimated breakdown on the number of taxpayers within each decile. [38391/24]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that the number of taxpayer units broken down by income range can be found in Revenue’s ‘Income Tax Distributions Interactive tables’ publication, available on the Revenue website at www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/income-distributions/stats/Income-Tax-breakdown-by-Gross-Income.aspx . The statistics run from 2004 to 2022, the latest year for which fully analysed data are available.The data are presented by income range rather than income decile. Based on the latest data for 2022, approximately 25% of all taxpayer units were in the €0-15,000 gross income range while approximately 10% of all taxpayers were in the €90,000 and higher gross income range. Other available ranges can be found in the link provided above and calculations performed accordingly.
143. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the total amount spent by the OPW in rent to private property owners for the accommodation of State bodies in each of the past five years; and the breakdown the expenditure to accommodate each State body, in tabular form. [38345/24]
View answerI am informed by the Office of Public Works that the information requested is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
144. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the total amount accrued by the OPW in rental income from non-State bodies for the use of public buildings and land in each of the past five years. [38346/24]
View answerI am informed by the Office of Public Works that the information requested is being collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
145. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to list the State bodies which are entirely accommodated in State-owned property as of September 2024. [38347/24]
View answerI am informed by the Office of Public Works that the information requested is being collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide a schedule of all special advisors that are, or were, attached to him, to include Ministers of State special advisors, by grade, duration of role held and point on the pay scale. [38368/24]
View answerSince my appointment as Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on 17 December 2022, the following special advisors were appointed:
|
Minister |
Advisor |
Duration of Role Held |
Pay scale |
Point on Pay Scale |
|
Minister Donohoe |
Deborah Sweeney |
since 19/12/2022 |
Principal Officer |
Point 6 |
|
Minister Donohoe |
Fiona O’Connor |
since 19/12/2022 |
Principal Officer |
Point 6 |
|
Minister of State Smyth |
Gillian Clarke |
since 16/05/2024 |
Assistant Principal |
Point 1 |
I am advised that the Office of Public Works will respond to the Deputy directly in respect of employees of that Office encompassed by this question.
147. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount the IDA has issued in grants, loans or incentives to companies that are no longer operating in the State for each of the past five years, in tabular form. [38290/24]
View answerIDA Ireland offers a wide range of financial assistance to companies wishing to locate and/or expand their existing operation in Ireland including and not restricted to:
- Capital;
- Employment;
- Training;
- R&D and environmental supports.
In all instances where financial assistance is approved by IDA Ireland for a company, the Agency and the client enter into a legal and binding contract (grant agreement). The contract which is confidential between IDA Ireland and its client includes conditions and milestones that the client is required to comply with before any financial assistance is paid. Clients sign the grant agreement in full knowledge that the penalty for non-performance is pro-rata repayment of grants. IDA Ireland follows up the claw-back (revocation of grants) where client have not achieved the agreed performance target or if appropriate in the event of a company closure. These cases are reported in the Agency’s Annual Financial Statements.
Grants paid to IDA clients that are no longer operating in the State for each of the past five years are outlined in the table below:
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2019 |
€258,227 |
|
2020 |
€15,950 |
|
2021 |
Nil |
|
2022 |
€18,900 |
|
2023 |
Nil |
148. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a schedule of all special advisors that are, or were, attached to him, to include Ministers of State special advisors, by grade, duration of role held and point on the pay scale. [38360/24]
View answerThe special advisors associated with me in my position as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and those attached to the Ministers of State at the Department are set out in tabular format below.
|
Office of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment - Peter Burke, T.D. |
Grade |
Duration of role held |
Point on the pay scale |
|
Special Advisor 1 - Brian Keegan |
Principal Officer |
23/04/2024 to date |
Point 4 |
|
Special Advisor 2 - Laura Mannion |
Principal Officer |
10/04/2024 to date |
Point 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Office of the Minister of State for Business Employment and Retail - Emer Higgins, T.D. |
Grade |
Duration of role held |
Point on the pay scale |
|
Special Advisor - Treasa Kelly |
Assistant Principal |
10/04/2024 to date |
Point 1 |
|
Office of the Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital & Company Regulation - Dara Calleary, T.D. |
Grade |
Duration of role held |
Point on the pay scale |
|
Special Advisor – N/A |
|
|
|
149. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will examine a matter regarding class sizes in primary schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38229/24]
View answerIn previous budgets, I have prioritised reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools which has brought the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. A three point reduction in the retention schedule, which I introduced in 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. I also improved teacher allocations for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools which now stand at an average of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively.
The 2023/24 educational statistical report shows that the average pupil teacher ratio at primary level last year was 12.8:1, while the average class size was 22.5. These ratios, brought about by recent budget improvements, are the lowest averages across the last 20 years.
Any further improvement will have to be considered as part of the overall budgetary process.
150. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the status of an application for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38241/24]
View answerThe first phase of the Schools Photovoltaic (PV) Programme launched in November 2023 to over 1600 schools.
It will provide eligible schools with 6 kWp of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels.
Since the launch of the first phase of the Schools PV Programme late last year, my Department has had a very positive response to the scheme, with over 1500 schools engaging with the programme through our School Hub.
Funding approval has been provided to more than 1,100 schools and we are seeing the impacts today as PV panels are being installed on school roofs around the country.
This has been a really positive response in terms of applications for solar panels from schools. It offers an opportunity for schools to reduce their carbon emissions and to reduce their energy costs.
As well as the obvious financial and climate benefits, it is expected that the visibility of the solar panels on schools will also deliver the added benefit of encouraging discussion and uptake of the technology in the wider community.
Given the high volume of schools involved, we are endeavouring to review each application and address and respond to queries in the earliest possible time.
The Schools PV Programme team will be in contact directly with Gael Scoil Castleisland shortly to discuss next steps.
151. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education when construction work will commence for a school (details supplied); the timeline for delivery and completion of this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38261/24]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers is devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB).
The project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural process. The planning application was lodged with Wicklow County Council and full grant of planning permission was received in Q2 2024.When Stage 2b has been finalised and approved, the next stage is tendering for a contractor and then onwards to construction in due course.While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for the next and subsequent project stages, the NDFA will be engaging directly with the school authorities to keep them informed of progress.
152. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education when construction work will commence for a school (details supplied); the timeline for delivery and completion of this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38262/24]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects.The project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural process. The planning application was lodged with Wicklow County Council and full grant of planning permission has been received.When Stage 2b has been finalised and approved, the next stage is tendering for a contractor and then onwards to construction in due course.While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for the next and subsequent project stages, the NDFA will be engaging directly with the school authorities to keep them informed of progress.
153. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education when construction work will commence for a school (details supplied); the timeline for delivery and completion of this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38263/24]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects.The project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural process. A planning application was lodged with Wicklow County Council and planning permission was granted in Quarter 1 2024.When Stage 2b has been finalised and approved, the next stage is tendering for a contractor and then onwards to construction in due course.While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for the next and subsequent project stages, the NDFA will be engaging directly with the school authorities to keep them informed of progress.
154. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if urgent attention will be given to an issue in a school in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38295/24]
View answerThe school in question to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for mechanical and electrical works.
The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works.
The application in question is currently being reviewed by the Department of Educations technical team.
Once this application is received back from the technical team, the EWS team will engage further with the school as appropriate.
The EWS team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
155. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education the funding for mental health/counselling support provided to a school (details supplied); the number of hours this translates to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38304/24]
View answerPromoting positive mental health is a priority for the Department of Education and myself as Minister.
The Department’s approach in the Wellbeing Policy is founded on research and best international practice in relation to how schools can best support the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. The approach proposed is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include:
• Providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies
• Providing children and young people with opportunities to experience supportive relationships within the school setting and to learn through those relationships
• Providing children and young people with opportunities to be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe, an environment in which children and young people feel a sense of belonging and connectedness, in which they feel their voice is heard, and they feel supported.
• Schools are encouraged to use a reflective, school self-evaluation approach to identify and prioritise the needs of its own school community in relation to the promotion of wellbeing and mental health, and to respond to meeting those needs.
A dedicated wellbeing portal can be accessed via ‘Wellbeing in Education’ on Gov.ie, bringing together all the wellbeing and mental health supports and resources that have been developed by the Department and the Department’s support services.
My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary and special schools.
The NEPS service provides access for all schools to:
• Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident
• A Casework Service for individual children where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
• A school staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools and
• Ongoing access to advice and support for schools.
This approach allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent individual cases and, through supporting school staff, to benefit many more children than could be seen individually.
NEPS teams offer training and guidance for teachers in the provision of universal and targeted evidence-informed approaches and early intervention to promote children’s wellbeing, social, emotional and academic development. For example, Initiatives such as the Incredible Years Social Emotional learning Programmes and the FRIENDS Resilience Programmes which aim to address anxiety reduction have been welcomed by schools and their impact positively evaluated.
I have also recently announced the publication of a tender to procure services to further support wellbeing and mental health in post-primary schools. The focus will be to strengthen supports and resources available to Student Support Teams to enhance the wellbeing and mental health of young people in the school community, with supports developed for students, parents and school staff. The tender has been awarded and work has commenced on the programme content.
Post-primary schools currently have access to Guidance Counsellors. Counselling is a key part of the role of the Guidance Counsellor, offered on an individual or group basis. The Guidance Counsellor also identifies and supports the referral of students to external counselling agencies and professionals, as required. Each post-primary school currently receives an allocation in respect of guidance provision, calculated by reference to the approved enrolment.
Separately, in June 2023, I was delighted to launch a €5 million pilot of counselling and wellbeing supports in primary schools in selected counties. This pilot will continue to June 2025. Strand 1 sees one-to-one counselling supports being provided to primary schools for the first time in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, and Tipperary. Strand 2 of the pilot is the establishment of a new type of support to schools from Education Wellbeing Teams and involves the introduction of Education Wellbeing Practitioners to provide enhanced in-school supports for a cluster of primary schools in Cork, Carlow, Dublin 7, and Dublin 16. All of which supplements the mental health supports which are offered by the HSE throughout the country.
156. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the implementation of school transport for a pupil (details supplied) from their home to their school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38343/24]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
The pupil referred to is eligible under the terms of the scheme and the Department has authorised Bus Éireann to establish a new service for him. Bus Éireann are in the process of procurement for this service.
To ensure the efficient delivery of services for children on Special Educations Needs school transport, Bus Éireann assesses each application to identify the options available. Where children can be facilitated on an existing service, applications are processed immediately and arrangements put in place with families involved.
Where a new service has to be established there is a lead in period for this process that includes issues such as:
• route design and procurement including contract award.
• in many instances a School Bus Escort is required for the child’s safe transport to school and it can take time for the school to source a suitable person which can impact the start date.
Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs. Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore apply for the interim Special Transport Grant. This is paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place. It is intended to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements that the family had to put in place during that time. The family will be contacted directly by School Transport Section in relation to this grant.
Work is continuing in order to resolve this matter and Bus Éireann are committed to providing transport as quickly as is possible. A member of staff from Bus Éireann will contact the family directly in this regard.
157. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a schedule of all special advisors that are, or were, attached to her, to include Ministers of State special advisors, by grade, duration of role held and point on the pay scale. [38359/24]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is set out in the attached table for special advisers employed by my Department.
There are also two Ministers of State appointed to my Department. Hildegarde Naughton T.D., Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion in my Department and of the Department of An Taoiseach has two special advisers, Paul Melia and Denise Duffy, who are employed by that Department.
Thomas Byrne T.D., Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education and of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has a special adviser, Daniel Griffin, who is employed by that Department.
The salary scale for Special Advisers to a Minister is the same as the Civil Service Principal Officer pay scale and the pay scale for a Special Adviser to a Minister of State is equivalent to the Assistant Principal Officer pay scale, as advised under the terms of the relevant pay circulars and the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments issued by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP, Delivery and Reform. In the event that an appointee is a retired Civil Servant, pension abatement rules apply.
|
Minister/Minister of State |
Special Adviser |
Grade |
Start Date |
Cessation Date |
Salary Point on Commencement |
|
Norma Foley T.D., Minister for Education |
Michael Brennan |
Principal Officer Standard |
23/10/2023 |
Current |
Point 1 |
|
Áine Doyle |
Principal Officer Standard |
27/06/2020 |
Current |
Point 1 |
|
|
Eoin Murphy |
Principal Officer Standard |
08/12/2020 |
17/10/2023 |
Point 1 |
|
|
# Christy Mannion |
Principal Officer Standard |
07/11/2020 |
08/12/2020 |
Point 5 |
|
|
# Christy Mannion |
Principal Officer Standard |
29/07/2020 |
26/10/2020 |
Point 5 |
|
|
Gary Woods |
Principal Officer Standard |
27/10/2020 |
06/11/2020 |
Point 1 |
|
|
Josepha Madigan T.D., Minister of State, Department of Education |
* Diane O’Gorman |
Assistant Principal Officer Standard |
22/05/2023 |
22/03/2024 |
Point 8 |
|
Colin Clarke |
Assistant Principal Officer Standard |
20/04/2022 |
17/12/2022 |
Point 1 |
|
|
Michael Ward |
Assistant Principal Officer Standard |
23/09/2020 |
24/05/2022 |
Point 1 |
# Had two separate employments as a Special Adviser, was previously a civil servant
* Details relate to term as a Special Adviser, currently serving civil servant
158. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education her plans to bring driving lessons and driver education classes into second level education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38399/24]
View answerRoad safety is a cross-society concern, in respect of which our schools, and the education sector more generally, can play a role in in supporting road safety education and awareness.
I know that so many of our schools and their communities have seen and experienced the consequences of road collisions first hand, and the devastation caused. I also know that schools have helped their students following the loss of valued members of their community.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA), in collaboration with my Department, An Garda Síochána, the Health and Safety Authority and the Higher Education Authority, has continuously been involved in the provision of comprehensive and integrated road safety education programmes. These programmes have been offered at all levels, from pre-school to third level, as well as in the wider community.
Earlier this month, I was pleased to officially launch the new RSA transition year (TY) programme “Road Safety Matters”, designed to help students become safer road users. This programme was created in direct response to my request made to the RSA last year to develop a new TY programme as an immediate first step in helping to change road safety culture among our young people.
The module has been developed by the RSA, is supported by An Garda Síochána and officially sponsored by Irish Public Bodies mutual insurance.
I believe that TY presents an opportunity to equip this critical age group of road users, with the knowledge and life skills needed at a formative time in their lives. The programme will support TY students, as well as their teachers, offering them a step-by-step guide to prepare them on their road safety journey. They will learn the importance of sharing the road, developing the knowledge, skills, values, and qualities to prepare them as road users. This will allow them to be safe drivers if they decide to drive in the future.
There are 10 units in the programme including an overview session, learning to drive, components of a car, speed, alcohol, drugs, distractions, safety belts, vulnerable road users and an assessment. It can be taught over a 10-week period or longer. A road safety toolkit, which supports teachers and students alike, will also be made available.
The units are designed in such a way that relevant questions on the driver theory test form part of the units, and I would hope that as students follow the programme those who wish to can use it as an opportunity to prepare for the driver theory test.
Approximately 220 schools have already expressed an interest in phase one of the programme, with over 110 schools registered for teacher training on the new module.
I welcome the RSA’s work to enhance the accessibility of education programmes for schools. My Department will continue to work closely with the RSA to support their work in rolling out the new TY module in particular, as well as its wider work in promoting road safety in the education sector.
In addition, schools can also avail of the Garda Lifesaver Project, a one-hour interactive programme delivered to Transition Year students by local Gardaí which highlights the impact of road traffic collisions on people’s lives.
