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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 2

Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Schools.

Michael Finucane

Question:

97 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Education when disadvantaged school status will be granted to a school (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11176/96]

Tony Gregory

Question:

104 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education the procedures by which the 25 disadvantaged schools will be selected under the new strategy for schools in disadvantaged areas; by whom they will be selected; and the role, if any, she will have in this process. [11218/96]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 104 together.

In response to the report from the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre, I recently launched an important new initiative which seeks to break the cycle of educational disadvantage in selected urban and rural areas.

In line with the recommendations of the report, a targeted programme of supports is being made available to 25 selected large schools in designated areas of disadvantage in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway urban areas. In addition, 25 clusters of small schools with fewer than five teachers and particularly those in rural areas with high levels of disadvantage will receive a targeted programme of supports. Schools from all parts of the country with fewer than five teachers are eligible to apply for inclusion in this scheme.

The Education Research Centre has been commissioned to contact the target schools and invite applications for consideration for support under this new initiative. The Education Research Centre has indicated that schools will be contacted very shortly. On the basis of information currently available to the Department, the school mentioned by the Deputy will be considered in this context.

All schools applying for support under this initiative will be required to declare their position under a range of specific criteria which have been devised by the Education Research Centre. The criteria in question take on board the recommendations of the Combat Poverty Agency and are designed to identify the prevalence of educational disadvantage in both urban and rural settings.
The Education Research Centre will prioritise all applicants in terms of level of need as represented by the data submitted and will advise my Department of the outcome. My Department will then invite each of the selected schools to submit a five year development plan. Each such plan will be required to identify current difficulties and to put forward specific proposals and targets for addressing the problems of educational disadvantage over the period of the plan. Qualification for support under the initiative will be dependent on the submission of suitable development plans.
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