Grace Boland
Question:310. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education when the details of the Summer programme for 2025 will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13091/25]
View answerThursday, 20 March 2025
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Details of the 2025 Summer Programme were published on Thursday, 13th February 2025. More than €60m in funding, secured in Budget 2025, is being made available for this year's Summer Programme. All of this funding will be utilised to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.
All schools have an opportunity to run a programme over the summer months for those children who need it the most. These children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.
The main priority in 2025 continues to be that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.
This year, to combat holiday hunger, a pilot project will be extending the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Programme into the Summer Programme. Schools eligible for the School Meals Programme will be able to make meals available for the 2025 Summer Programme. This will also help to alleviate the costs for schools associated with running a Summer Programme and will be in addition to the other supports and measures already in place.
Full details of the school-based Summer Programme have been issued to schools and are available on www.gov.ie/summerprogramme. It is now open to schools to register their interest in running a school-based summer programme via an online registration portal. The closing date for registration by schools has been set for the 11th April 2025.
Where a school-based programme is not being run or a place is unavailable, the Home-based Programme will be available for those children with complex special education needs. Details of the home-based programme will be released in May.