A school in Cherry Orchard has been granted €465,000 annually to fund a care and education project which includes a crèche, early education and after school elements.
This unit provides a unique service for severely disadvantaged children in a home-style environment
Minister for Children Brian LenihanThe St Ultan's Integrated School project in Cherry Orchard already houses 16 classrooms as well as an early childhood education unit, a canteen, a pre-school nursery and a care unit that will cater for children before, during and after school hours.
The school aims to keep children out of care and in school while enabling them to stay close to their families and community.
At the announcement of the grants today the Minister for Children Brian Lenihan called the project very ambitious saying it involved an "integrated model of education and care for the children and families of Cherry Orchard from birth and throughout the school lifecycle".
Currently the after school care facility caters for 24 children referred from both the primary school and other schools in the area. The nursery aims to cater for 18 babies and 36 toddlers while the early education unit will provide places for 48 children.
"This unit provides a unique service for severely disadvantaged children in a home-style environment, working with parents to keep children within the school system, collaborating with other professionals and dealing with domestic emergencies from time to time," the minister added.
Mr Lenihan also announced that St Ultan's will be included in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme and will benefit from a range of additional educational supports as a result.
The canteen, which provides three meals a day to the children, will be funded under the Department of Social and Family Affairs' School Meals Programme.
