The Dail has been told that bureaucracy is costing schools thousands of euro because they are not being supported when they take in children from asylum seeker and refugee families.
Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn told the Dail this morning that schools are being penalised for nurturing and supporting children.
He raised the example of Sessiaghoneill National School, which he says saw its school population grow by a third, but when it went to the Department of Education for extra funds, the school was advised to approach charitable organisations………
Responding, Junior Minister Thomas Byrne outlined the department’s funding and staffing policy in depth, and also outlined a number of initiatives available to support students.
On the issue of the school being advised to contact St Vincent de Paul or the Red Cross, he said that’s not department policy……….
The whole nine minute exchange in full can be heard here –
