Bright children to suffer under cutbacks

HUNDREDS of the country’s brightest children could miss out on the chance of taking special classes because of a budget cutback that will save the Government less than €100,000.

More than 30,000 young people have taken courses with the Centre for Talented Youth in Ireland (CTYI) since it was set up in 1992. It allows children aged up to 16, who are in the top 5% of ability, to take on subjects not available in schools — ranging from biochemistry and astronomy to film studies or novel writing.

Of about 3,700 students attending its academic programmes, most pay fees ranging from €240 for nine-week courses held at weekends, to €1,500 for summer residential courses. But the centre uses the €98,000 grant it receives every year from the Department of Education to help waive up to half those fees for about 600 children.