Vol. 454 No. 1
19 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education the reason a school (details supplied) in Dublin I has not been granted disadvantaged status; if she will review this matter in view of the fact that 88 per cent of the children are from the inner city, 41 per cent of parents are unemployed and 31 per cent are from single parent families. [6769/95]
I am aware that the school in question has applied for inclusion in the disadvantaged areas scheme. To date, the level of need demonstrated by the school in its submission to my Department, relative to the competing needs of other schools, has not resulted in its inclusion in the scheme. However, I can assure the Deputy that the needs of the school will be considered in the event of an expansion of the scheme being undertaken.
Schools are selected for inclusion in the scheme on the basis of priority of needs as reflected by a range of socioeconomic indicators. Factors taken into account include the incidence of unemployment, local authority housing occupancy 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 schools and the prevailing pupil teacher ratios.
The approach currently adopted was agreed by a working party comprised of representatives of school management, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation and my Department and has been in place for some years.
