Vol. 465 No. 6
204 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education if she will respond positively to the repeated application for a home, school or community liaison teacher for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10313/96]
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 needs of the schools referred to by the Deputy will be considered in the context of any future expansion for the home school community liaison scheme which may be undertaken.
The home school community liaison scheme has been expanded in the current school year by the inclusion of an additional 49 schools at primary level and 37 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 co-ordinators.
