Seamus Kirk
Question:432 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Education the benefits available to schools under the disadvantaged schools scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15165/96]
Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Schools Scheme.
A wide range of supports is currently available for primary schools designated as disadvantaged. A supplementary capitation grant of £25 per pupil is paid in respect of these schools. This rate is being increased to £30 per pupil from September 1996, which will bring the total capitation funding for these schools to £75 per pupil. Until 1994, each school awarded disadvantaged status was also allocated an ex-quota concessionary teaching post. However, from 1994 onwards, when the disadvantaged areas scheme was last expanded, schools were allocated capitation grants only. In addition, the staffing allocation made to each disadvantaged primary school is set at a level which enables the school authorities to ensure that no class will have more than 29 pupils.
Schools in the disadvantaged areas scheme also receive the following supports: refund of television licence fee; 95 per cent building grant for building projects; schools with an enrolment of 200 or more may also receive a grant of £15 per pupil in respect of clerical-caretaking services, subject to a maximum of 500 pupils; under the scheme of grants to provide aid for school books for needy pupils, funding is provided specifically to aid in the establishment of loan-rental schemes for schools designated as disadvantaged and in 1993, a special initiative was introduced to alleviate the difficulties of certain schools in the disadvantaged areas scheme which were encountering serious current financial difficulties. One hundred and eighty-one primary schools which have been granted disadvantaged area status also avail of the Home School Community Liaison Scheme, 40 disadvantaged schools have been allocated Early Start Pre-School classes and 31 disadvantaged schools have access to teacher counsellors.
As the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced a major new initiative, Breaking the Cycle, targeted specifically on tackling disadvantage. The benefits which will be available to primary schools which will be granted disadvantaged status under the new initiative are as follows: an additional £30 capitation grant which issues to all designated schools; grants for the purchase of teaching and learning materials and in-career development for school staff. In addition, there will be a maximum of 15 children in junior classes, that is, junior infants to second class, in urban schools. Co-ordinators will be appointed to promote the development of the initiative and there will be additional funding for strategies which the schools will identify in their plans to address the needs of the children.
With regard to post-primary schools, the additional £30 capitation grant, in addition to the standardper capita grant, was introduced in 1994 for schools which were designated as disadvantaged. This brings the total capitation funding for post-primary schools designated as disadvantaged to £207 per pupil in 1996. These schools are also allocated an additional ex-quota teaching post. Eighty-seven post-primary schools designated as disadvantaged also avail of the Home School Community Liaison Scheme.
Seamus Kirk
Question:433 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the position in Dundalk, County Louth, where St. Nicholas' Monastery boys school is in the disadvantaged schools scheme whereas Castletown girls school on the same campus is not included in the scheme; if she will consider designating Castletown girls school disadvantaged status under the scheme in view of the fact that the children attending both schools come from the same catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15166/96]
I am aware that the school in question applied for inclusion in the disadvantaged areas scheme in 1994. Schools were selected for inclusion in the scheme at that time on the basis of priority of need as reflected by a range of socio-economic indicators. Account was also taken of the views of my Department's inspectorate on the relative levels of need between schools and the prevailing teacher ratios. The case put forward by the school in question was considered at that time. Unfortunately, when taking these factors into account, the needs of the school were not considered to be of such priority as to warrant their inclusion on that occasion. I have no plans at present to extend disadvantaged area status to this school. I am aware that the adjacent boys school already has disadvantaged status.
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 than five teachers are eligible to apply for inclusion in this scheme. The Education Research Centre has recently been in touch with all the target schools and invited applications for consideration for support under the new initiative. The centre is currently prioritising all applicants in terms of level of need as represented by the data submitted by the school and will advise my Department of the outcome shortly. Schools selected as a result of this process will be invited to submit five year development plans. Each such plan will be required to identify current difficulties and put forward specific proposals and targets for addressing the problem of educational disadvantage. Qualification for support will depend on the submission of suitable development plans.