Micheál Martin
Question:505 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) in County Cork will be included in the scheme for special disadvantaged schools as announced by her on 9 May 1996. [15623/96]
Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Schools Scheme.
As the Deputy is aware, I recently launched an important new initiative which seeks to break the cycle of educational disadvantage in selected urban and rural areas. The initiative is in response to reports which I commissioned from the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre.
In line with the recommendations in the reports, a targeted programme of supports is being made available to twenty-five selected schools in designated areas of disadvantage in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford 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 Educational Research Centre has recently been in touch with all the schools in question, inviting their application. The centre will prioritise all applicants in terms of level of need as represented by the data submitted by the schools 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 problems of educational disadvantage. Qualification for support will depend on the submission of suitable development plans.
On the basis of the information currently available to my Department, the school in question would be eligible for consideration for support under the scheme and will have recently been invited by the Education Research Centre to submit an application for inclusion in the scheme.