Vol. 514 No. 6
318 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science the criteria which must be satisfied by a school (details supplied) in County Kildare to qualify for the new deal recently put forward to tackle educational disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5185/00]
319 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will extend disadvantaged status to a St. Mary's national school, Dungarvan, County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5186/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together.
Under the New Deal – A Plan for Educational Opportunity it is intended that all primary schools, including the schools referred to by the Deputies, will be surveyed to identify the precise distribution of disadvantaged pupils across the system. My Department is currently finalising arrangements for this survey, including the criteria which will be applied in identifying the levels of disadvantage in individual schools. It is intended that the survey will be carried out during the current school term.
In response to the levels of disadvantage identified through the survey, additional supports will be made available to schools to meet the needs of their pupils. The level and nature of the support services made available will vary depending on the level of need identified.
