Vol. 566 No. 2
123 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason and when co-ordinators of the Breaking the Cycle programme were told they would be working under a national co-ordinator; the basis on which they need one; and the purpose of this. [12477/03]
The new disadvantage programme, Giving Children an Even Break, subsumes the previous process of designation of schools that serve areas of educational disadvantage, and my Department's approach is now refined to ensure that the individual "at risk" pupils are targeted. All schools included in Breaking the Cycle are included in Giving Children An Even Break and will retain their existing entitlements under the former scheme.
The support service for Giving Children an Even Break will shortly be put in place and the issue of whether the Breaking the Cycle initiative requires a dedicated national co-ordinator is being considered in this context.
