Vol. 534 No. 3
285 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to the appointment of a home-school liaison officer for a school (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10393/01]
300 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Science when a home-school liaison teacher will be appointed to Scoil Bhríde national school, Portlaoise, County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10498/01]
I propose to take Questions No. 285 and 300 together.
The home-school-community liaison scheme was last expanded in September 1999. This expansion included any remaining schools designated as disadvantaged that did not have a home-school-community liaison service. There are no immediate plans to expand the home-schoolcommunity liaison scheme.
The Deputies may be aware of the new programme, "Giving Children An Even Break" that I announced last January to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. The programme, which will run over a three-year period, will cost some £26 million and involves the creation of over 200 new primary teaching posts. Schools participating in the new programme are eligible to receive a range of additional supports including teacher posts and other non-teaching supports to be targeted at disadvantaged pupils. The additional supports to be provided reflect the level of concentration of pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in each school invited to participate in the programme.
The schools in question are included in the urban dimension of the programme and are eligible to receive supplementary grant aid over the three-year period towards the provision of suitable educational supports and could involve additional measures to support the children concerned at home and in the community. The County Waterford school in question and Scoil Bhríde National School are eligible to receive £7,590 and £6,454 respectively in respect of the current school year. The schools were not considered eligible for additional teaching staff, based on the level of concentration of at risk pupils in the schools as reflected in the Educational Research Centre survey outcome.
