Gerry Reynolds
Question:1180 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a primary school (details supplied) in County Leitrim was not successful in its application for a disadvantaged status grant. [1501/01]
Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.
Michael Ring
Question:1204 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a school (details supplied) in County Mayo was not included in the formation of a cluster of schools for the provision of a teacher co-ordinator in the initiative to tackle educational disadvantage at primary level. [1770/01]
Michael Ring
Question:1227 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a primary school (details supplied) in County Mayo was left out of the initiative to tackle education disadvantage by the provision of a teacher co-ordinator. [1924/01]
Michael Ring
Question:1228 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if the application by a school (details supplied) in County Mayo for a teacher co-ordinator under the initiative to tackle education disadvantage can be approved. [1925/01]
Michael Ring
Question:1229 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the criteria used to assess the schools which applied for the initiative to tackle education disadvantage at primary level. [1926/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1180, 1204 and 1227 to 1229, inclusive, together.
All the schools referred to by the Deputies have been included in the rural dimension of the new programme launched by me earlier this month to address educational disadvantage at primary level. The schools in question will all receive supplementary grant aid which, in common with other schools being included in the new programme, is based on the levels of concentration of disadvantaged pupils in the schools as identified through the extensive survey conducted last year by the Educational Research Centre.
To assist schools in making the best use of the extra resources, I am appointing a director of programmes to tackle disadvantage, assisted by a support team. This team will provide training in the understanding of educational disadvantage and the delivery of targeted supports. Where individual schools are concerned about the outcome of the survey in respect of their school, they may make a submission to my Department outlining their circumstances. These submissions will be referred to the ERC for consideration. The situation of these schools will then be further considered in future phases of the programme.