Batt O'Keeffe
Ceist:162 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education if she will include a school (details supplied) in County Cork in the scheme of assistance to schools in the designated areas of disadvantage. [11406/96]
Written Answers. - Schools in Disadvantaged Areas.
Michael Creed
Ceist:200 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education if she will designate a school (details supplied) in County Cork as disadvantaged. [11692/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 200 together.
In response to the report from the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre, I recently launched an important new initiative which seeks to break the cycle of educational disadvantage in selected urban and rural areas.
In line with the recommendations of the report, a targeted programme of supports is being made available to 25 selected schools in designated areas of disadvantage in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway urban areas.
In addition, 25 clusters of small schools with fewer than five teachers and particularly those in rural areas with high levels of disadvantage, will receive a targeted programme of supports. Schools from all parts of the country with fewer than five teachers are eligible to apply for inclusion in this scheme.
The Education Research Centre has been commissioned to contact these schools and invite applications for consideration for support under the new initiative. The process of contacting these schools is now under way.