Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 4

Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.

Enda Kenny

Question:

187 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a school (details supplied) in County Mayo is not included in the disadvantaged status area; and if he will make a statement on the application lodged and the analysis accorded to it by his Department. [9231/01]

The Deputy will be aware that last January I launched a major new programme, Giving Children An Even Break, to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. The new programme will be run over a three year period and will cost some £26 million. The programme involves the creation of over 200 new primary teaching posts and the allocation of cash grants to primary schools in respect of disadvantaged pupils.

The schools targeted under the programme were identified through a comprehensive and objective survey of all primary schools carried out in March-April 2000 by the Educational Research Centre, ERC, Drumcondra, on my Department's behalf. All primary schools were invited to complete the survey questionnaire and over 75% of primary schools participated and returned completed survey forms to the ERC.

The ERCs records indicate that a questionnaire to apply for inclusion in the new programme was not received from the school referred to by the Deputy. In the absence of a completed survey form from the school, the ERC was unable to assess the level of concentration of pupils in the school with characteristics that are associated with educational disadvantage.

Where schools expressed concern about the outcome of the survey in respect of their school, they were advised to make representations to my Department outlining their circumstances. Schools were informed that these representations would then be referred to the ERC for consideration and my Department would then consider the position of these schools.

In accordance with the approach outlined, representations from the school in question have been forwarded to the ERC. In order to advance consideration of this school's situation, the ERC wrote to the school on 20 March requesting further information before 6 April. When the ERC has received and considered the school's response, my Department will then be in a position to consider the matter further.

Top
Share