Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Dec 1993

Vol. 436 No. 7

Written Answers. - Funding for Disadvantaged Projects.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

243 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education the total funding earmarked for disadvantage projects and the measures at primary and post-primary in the current year, and in each year since 1990; and if she will give this as a proportion of the total funding for each sector in the relevant year.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The total funding allocated for the alleviation of disadvantage at primary and post-primary levels, and the percentage such funding forms of the total allocation to these areas is set out on the attached table.

At primary level, the scheme of assistance for schools in designated areas of disadvantage provides a range of special support measures. Schools included in the scheme are allocated concessionary teaching posts and they also receive additional special funding at a rate of £17 per pupil.

A total of 258 primary schools are currently included in the scheme and a total of 293 concessionary teaching posts have been allocated. The schools in question embrace a total of 76,000 pupils.

In addition to receiving the above supports, a total of 106 disadvantaged schools, embracing 34,000 pupils, are included in the home-school-community liaison scheme. These schools have the services of 60 full-time home-school-liaison co-ordinators.

A number of special additional initiatives were undertaken in 1993 to provide extra support to selected schools in disadvantaged areas. These included the allocation of £250,000 to selected schools identified as having particular financial difficulties at present. A further £100,000 was provided to smaller schools which were identified as suffering serious disadvantage and for whom financial rather than staffing support was considered appropriate.

Under a further initiative undertaken in 1993, arrangements have been made to meet the cost incurred by schools in disadvantaged areas in purchasing television licences.

At post-primary level, the programmes being funded are the allocation of additional teaching posts to schools in disadvantaged areas, including remedial and resource teachers to schools; the school book scheme for needy pupils; special initiatives to improve the retention of pupils from disadvantaged areas in education, including the home-school-community liaison scheme, the vocational training opportunities scheme, Youthreach and the alleviation of examination fees.

Table

Total Funding Allocated for the Alleviation of Disadvantage in Primary and Post-Primary Schools — Percentage of Total Allocation for the Sector.

Primary Sector

Year	Total Funding	Percentage of Total Allocation
	£m	%
1990	4.3	0.93
1991	5.6	1.18
1992	6.1	1.09
1993	8.5	1.43

Post-Primary Sector

	£m	%
1990	14.4	1.13
1991	19.6	1.54
1992	26.2	1.78
1993	35.6	2.20