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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 1

Written Answers. - Bray (Wicklow) School Status.

Liz McManus

Question:

170 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education if she will grant disadvantaged status to St. Fergal's national school, Bray, County Wicklow in view of the unemployment levels and the difficulties being experienced financially by the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

I am aware that the school in question has applied for disadvantaged area status. Schools are selected for inclusion in the disadvantaged areas scheme on the basis of priority of need as reflected by a range of socio-economic criteria.

Factors taken into account include the incidence of unemployment, local authority housing and medical card holders among the parents of the children concerned. Account is also taken of the views of my Department's Inspectorate on the relative levels of need between applicant schools and their prevailing pupil teacher ratios.

At present under this scheme, a total of 258 primary schools have the services of 275 additional ex-quota teaching posts. The schools in question also receive supplementary capitation grants at the rate of £17 per pupil.

As I recently announced in the context of the 1994 education budget, I intend that a further 50 primary schools will be designated as disadvantaged for capitation grant purposes in the current year. The case of the school mentioned by the Deputy will be fully considered in this context.

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