Traveller Education
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-23
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Darren O'Rourke (SF), Meath East

This is really important. I welcome a number of recent announcements by the Government related to DEIS plus and the DEIS plan. I will contest every inch of it but the principle of the transformational power of education and a specific focus on educational inequality is hugely important.
Within that, there needs to be a particular focus on the Traveller population because the figures are absolutely shocking. I referred to the completion rate for the leaving certificate, but if we consider those on reduced hours or timetables and the rate of absenteeism, the potential is being ripped from the lives of these young people. The State can take significant steps through the education system and other services to support these young people. They deserve that opportunity the same as every other child. I will be happy to engage with the further consultations and progress reports. A wealth of effort has been put in to date. There is a roadmap but it needs to be actioned and implemented. The stakes are high here. The number of children that are being failed, falling through the cracks and are being left behind by dint of the fact that they are Travellers is a stain and a shame on the State.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-23