Cathal Crowe
Ceist:173. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education the cost of expanding the summer programme to include more schools and more students. [38592/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 October 2024
Ceisteanna (173)
Freagraí scríofa
The Summer Programme is currently underpinned by funding of €40m. As in previous years, all of the funding is 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. In doing so, these children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.
The main priority of the Summer Programme is that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.
Since 2019, the Summer Programme has gone from strength to strength. In 2023, more than 1,400 schools and 50,000 children took part in the Summer Programme. This is compared to the more than 300 schools and 13,000 children who took part in 2019. This upward trend continued in 2024 resulting in an increase of 20% more schools (or 1,700) having participated in the Summer Programme, showing that the measures that have been introduced are an effective incentivisation for schools.
The Summer Programme is reliant on schools and their staff choosing to participate on a voluntary basis. To this end, the Department will continue to engage with management bodies, schools and parents with a view to encouraging even more schools and more children to participate in the programme going forward.