Vol. 466 No. 7
141 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education if she intends to grant disadvantaged status to a school (details supplied) in Cork city; whether the adjacent boys school, taking pupils from the same catchment area, has been granted disadvantaged status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12345/96]
I have no plans at present to extend disadvantaged area status to the school in question. The adjacent boys school already has disadvantaged status.
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.
