Michael Ring
Question:71 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education if she will include a school (details supplied) in County Mayo in the scheme of assistance for schools in designated areas of disadvantage. [11288/96]
Written Answers. - Scheme for Disadvantaged Schools.
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:78 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that a primary school (details supplied) in Dublin 17 is included in the education disadvantage scheme, Breaking the Cycle. [11332/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 78 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 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 that 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 the new initiative. The process of contacting these schools is now under way. On the basis of information currently available to this Department, the schools referred to by the Deputies will be considered in this context.