Vol. 491 No. 6
304 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science whether the criteria and weighting schemes for determination of designation as disadvantaged are the same as prevailed when a study (details supplied) was carried out; and, if not, the way in which the system has changed in relation to primary and post primary schools. [12917/98]
Traditionally, schools were selected for designation as disadvantaged on the basis of priority of need as reflected under a range of socio-economic indicators. The key factors taken into account included the incidence of unemployment; local authority housing occupancy; and medical card holding among the parents of the children concerned.
The study to which the Deputy refers was conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre and involved a detailed review of current approaches to addressing the problem of educational disadvantage.
Among the key issues raised in the study was a concern that the traditional criteria had insufficient regard to rural and dispersed disadvantage. Also, that specific regard should be had to the educational attainment of parents as a factor which can have a significant impact on their children's participation in the education system.
The study recommended that the traditional criteria be amended to better reflect the above concerns. The study also recommended that disadvantaged area status be confined to 16 per cent of the schoolgoing population. In this connection, it was noted that disadvantaged status was already extended to in excess of 17 per cent of pupils.
