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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Jan 1994

Vol. 437 No. 6

Written Answers. - Schools Classification.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

565 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education the position regarding four schools referred to in correspondence (details supplied) to her Department; if these schools are classified as disadvantaged by her Department for grant aid purposes; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the four schools are situated in the south Connemara Gaeltacht which is an isolated area of low population; if there has been a change in the classified status of those schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

None of the schools mentioned by the Deputy is currently classified as disadvantaged for additional grant aid purposes.

Schools are selected for inclusion in the Disadvantaged Area Scheme on the basis of priority of need as indicated by a range of socio-economic criteria. The criteria in question relate to such matters as the levels of unemployment, local authority housing occupancy and medical card holding among the parents of the pupils concerned. Account is also taken of my Department's Primary Inspectorate's assessment of relative levels of need and the prevailing pupil teacher ratios among the schools.

In 1993 I allocated additional concessionary teaching posts and funding to facilitate the extension of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme to a further 50 schools. Each of the schools selected received a concessionary teaching post and supplementary capitation funding at a rate of £17 per pupil.

As a special additional initiative in 1993, I also made £100,000 available to selected small schools which had been identified as being in financial need but for whom the allocation of a teaching post would not be warranted.

All of the schools mentioned by the Deputy applied for inclusion in the above allocations and their cases were fully considered. Unfortunately, they did not qualify for assistance on that occasion.

However, I intend to continue to focus additional resources on schools in disadvantaged areas in the coming year and I can assure the Deputy that the needs of the school in question will be fully considered in this context.

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