I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 53 together. I am not in a position at present to extend disadvantaged area status to the schools in question.
With regard to the provision of a full-time remedial service for the school mentioned by Deputy Deasy, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the service in question has recently been put in place in the school.
The House will be aware that in 1995, I commissioned the Combat Poverty Agency to undertake a review of our current approaches to the selection and support of pupils suffering educational disadvantage. The outcome of that study was a comprehensive and complex report which was published in summary form in December 1995.
In making the report publicly available, I invited interested parties to make further submissions by the end of January 1996. I am pleased that my invitation has attracted a significant response.
Also at the time of launching the report, I indicated that I had commissioned the Educational Research Centre to bring forward proposals on the precise criteria which should be used in future for the identification of pupils affected by educational disadvantage. The report of the Educational Research Centre has recently been received.
My Department is currently considering the findings of these reports as part of the process of developing a revised approach to the selection and support of pupils with educational disadvantage. I hope to be in a position to make a further announcement in relation to this matter in the near future.
