Vol. 474 No. 3
164 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education the reason St. Brigid's junior national school, Brookfield, Tallaght, Dublin 24, was refused the early start and the break the cycle programmes in view of the fact that this is a disadvantaged area with a high rate of unemployment; if she will reconsider this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2860/97]
The early start pre-school programme is focused on schools serving areas of particular disadvantage. Schools were selected for inclusion in the programme on the basis of priority of need as reflected in the level of educational disadvantage of the pupils concerned and also having regard to the availability of suitable accommodation to house a pre-school project. Unfortunately, the school in question did not have the necessary accommodation available to accommodate a pre-school project.
The school in question was among those invited by the Education Research Centre to apply for inclusion in the urban phase of the Breaking the Cycle initiative. All applicant schools submitted data on the educational disadvantage of their pupils under a range of specific criteria devised by the Education Research Centre. The centre selected schools for inclusion in the initiative on the basis of priority of need as reflected in the data submitted. Unfortunately, based on the data it submitted, the school in question was not among those selected by the Education Research Centre for inclusion in the initiative. The needs of the school in question will be considered in the event of any further develoment of the early start pre-school programme or the Breaking the Cycle initiative being undertaken.
