Vol. 500 No. 7
394 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the range from highest to lowest of values among the schools designated disadvantaged under each of the criteria of disadvantaged used to select schools for this designation. [5071/99]
The last formal extension of the disadvantaged areas schemes took place in 1994 when an additional 54 primary schools and 55 second level schools were included in the schemes.
On that occasion applicant schools were assessed as to priority of need by reference to a range of criteria which had been agreed between the Department, schools' management and the teacher unions. At primary level, the criteria in question took account of such factors as the levels of unemployment; local authority housing and rented accommodation occupancy; and medical card holding among the families of the pupils concerned. The total points scored by schools under the above headings were then weighted by a factor which took account of the prevailing pupil teacher ratios among the applicant schools. At second level, account was also taken of rural disadvantage, lone parent households, literacy-numeracy difficulties and lack of formal educational qualifications.
Arising from this exercise, the highest and lowest values scored by the selected schools under the criteria were as follows:
Primary Schools.
|
Highest |
Lowest |
|
|
Unemployment |
351 |
125 |
|
Local authority housing occupancy |
183 |
0 |
|
Medical card holding |
184 |
60 |
|
Rented accommodation occupancy |
132 |
0 |
|
Highest |
Lowest |
|
|
Unemployment |
400 |
120 |
|
Local authority housing occupancy |
48 |
8 |
|
Medical card holding |
183 |
68 |
|
Rural disadvantage |
246 |
26 |
|
Lone parent households |
69 |
5 |
|
Literacy-numeracy |
158 |
19 |
|
Formal educational qualifications |
80 |
0 |
