Vol. 486 No. 3
276 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of post primary schools that it is estimated will be awarded disadvantaged status under the disadvantaged scheme in 1998; the additional expenditure granted for this purpose in 1998; and if a school (details supplied) in County Wexford will be considered in the next batch of approvals. [2501/98]
In the current school year, of the total of 762 schools at second level, 190 schools have disadvantaged status. In designating these schools as disadvantaged regard was had to a range of criteria including the number of first year pupils whose parents are in receipt of unemployment assistance or benefit; the number living in rented local authority housing and non-permanent accommodation; the number living with lone parents; the number whose parents hold a medical card; the number with significant literacy and numeracy difficulties; the number of rural pupils from a deprived economic background and the percentage of pupils who drop out of school at or about 15 years of age without any formal education qualifications.
I have no proposals at present for designating further schools as disadvantaged. However, I assure the Deputy that the position of the school in question will receive full consideration in the context of any future review of this scheme.
