Educational Disadvantage.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2010

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Ceisteanna (144, 145)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

197 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science her views on the implications of her decision to end the substance misuse prevention programme dedicated support service to LDTFA and DEIS primary schools; her further views on the fact that her action risks undoing the advances made in LDTF areas in recent years in terms of reducing the numbers of children at risk of becoming addicted to drugs; and if she will restore the substance misuse prevention programme dedicated support service to all primary schools in LDTF areas and to all DEIS schools in the immediate term. [13208/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

198 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science if she will make a statement detailing the way she envisages the prevention pillar of the national drugs strategy can be fully delivered upon following her decision to end the substance misuse prevention programme dedicated support service to LDTFA and DEIS primary schools; and the way her Department will meaningfully and comprehensively deliver on its responsibility to monitor the development implementation and review of substance use policies in schools. [13209/10]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Mary Coughlan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 198 together.

My Department is reconfiguring the delivery of support for teachers in light of the current resource allocation. Although the Walk Tall Support Service will no longer exist in its current guise, it is my intention that the support for substance misuse prevention be further integrated into SPHE support. It is widely acknowledged that while a strand of SPHE can be taught in isolation, it should be linked to each of the other strands of the SPHE curriculum in order to be at its most effective.