The Breaking the Cycle pilot project was launched in 1996 and the pilot period ended on 30 June 2001. The operation of the Breaking the Cycle pilot project was monitored by my Department's inspectorate and evaluated by the Education Research Centre. The evaluation report is expected shortly.
The Deputy is aware of the new programme – Giving Children an Even Break – which I launched in January 2001 to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. 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, Drumcondra, on my Department's behalf.
There are separate urban and rural dimensions to the programme. Schools categorised as urban with the highest concentrations of at-risk pupils are being supported, where necessary, over the three-year period through staff allocations to implement a pupil-teacher ratio of 20:1 in the junior classes – infants through second class – and a pupil-teacher ratio of 29:1 in senior classes – third through sixth classes.
Schools participating in the programme are eligible to receive a range of additional supports including teacher posts and financial 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. Schools already in receipt of additional resources under the disadvantaged areas scheme, including the school in question, will retain their entitlements under that scheme. Under the disadvantaged areas scheme, the school is benefiting from the services of a disadvantaged concessionary teacher and a shared home-school-community liaison teacher. The school also qualifies for special supplementary capitation funding at the rate of €38.09 per pupil and a refund of the television licence fee.