Posts were allocated to post-primary schools in 1994 under the disadvantaged scheme on the basis of criteria agreed between representatives of management, teachers, parents and my Department. Factors taken into account included the number of first year pupils within a school (i) whose parents are in receipt of either unemployment assistance or benefit; (ii) living in rented local authority housing or non-permanent accommodation; (iii) from a rural deprived background; (iv) whose parents hold a medical card; (v) living with lone parents; (vi) with significant literacy and numeracy difficulties and (vii) who drop out of school without any formal educational qualifications.
Schools were ranked in order of merit and the posts were allocated accordingly. Schools with enrolments of fewer than 30 pupils were not excluded for purposes of the allocation of these posts. Provision has been made for the allocation of, inter alia, additional remedial, guidance and home school links posts to post-primary schools with effect from the beginning of the 1995-96 school year. The basis for the allocation of all these posts is being examined by my Department at present.
