Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:348 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a home school liaison officer for the west Connemara region in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1060/96]
Written Answers. - Home-School Liaison Officer.
Under present arrangements, the home-school community liaison scheme is focused on schools in designated areas of disadvantage. Schools are invited to participate in the scheme on the basis of priority of need as assessed by my Department's inspectorate. Such participation may take the form of inclusion in an existing cluster of schools already served by the scheme or in a newly formed cluster. In selecting schools for inclusion in the scheme, particular regard is had to the prevailing levels of pupil participation in the education process and the level of parental involvement in the affairs of their local school.
The home-school community liaison scheme has been expanded in the current school year by the inclusion of an additional forty nine schools at primary level and thirty seven schools at post primary level. This brings the total number of schools at primary level to 181 with the service of 105 local co-ordinators and at post primary level to 87 schools with the services of 86 local coordinators. The needs of the schools in the area referred to by the Deputy will be considered in the context of any further expansion of the house-school community liaison scheme.