Vol. 485 No. 1
109 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Education and Science the precise criteria and qualifying conditions, if any, for disadvantaged status for post primary schools; if these regulations are clearly established and transparent to enable schools to know why they do not qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22514/97]
Disadvantaged status is granted to second level schools which were allocated disadvantaged posts under my Department's disadvantaged areas scheme. These posts were allocated on the basis of criteria agreed between representatives of school management, the teacher unions, parents and my Department. Factors which were taken into account were: the number of first year pupils whose parents are in receipt of unemployment assistance or benefit; the number of first year pupils living in rented local authority housing and non-permanent accommodation; the number of first year rural pupils from a deprived economic background; the number of first year pupils living with lone parents; the number of first year pupils whose parents hold a medical card; the number of first year pupils with significant literacy and numeracy difficulties and the percentage of pupils who drop out of school at or about 15 years of age without any formal educational qualifications. Schools were ranked in order of merit and the posts were allocated accordingly.
