Vol. 497 No. 6
56 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has considered a request to grant disadvantaged status to St. Maelruan's Church of Ireland school, Jobstown, Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23385/98]
I am aware that the school in question has applied for disadvantaged status. I have no plans at present to extend disadvantaged status to additional primary schools.
A study of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre in 1996 concluded that disadvantaged status should be confined to 16 per cent of the schoolgoing population. The study noted that such status had already been granted to 17 per cent of pupils. As an alternative to extending the disadvantaged areas scheme to additional schools, the study recommended that available resources should be targeted at the most disadvantaged schools already in the scheme. The Breaking the Cycle of disadvantage scheme was subsequently introduced to deliver the sort of targeted support recommended in the study.
I am currently reviewing my Department's overall response to the problem of educational disadvantage. My objective is to ensure that all available resources are properly targeted so that children who are educationally disadvantaged receive the support they require to maximise their potential in the education system.
I assure the Deputy that the needs of the school to which he refers will be fully considered in the context of any additional resource allocations which may be undertaken to address educational disadvantage.
