Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Jun 1996

Vol. 467 No. 4

Written Answers. - County Westmeath School.

Mary O'Rourke

Ceist:

170 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if she will have arrangements made for a full scrutiny and evaluation of the circumstances of a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath which is seeking disadvantaged status; if her attention has been drawn to the background difficulties experienced by the pupils in this school; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that the board of management, teachers and parents are making every effort to ensure the well-being of the pupils in their care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13167/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I am aware of the circumstances of the school in question and the efforts being made by the school's board of management, teachers and parents to ensure the well-being of the pupils in their care.

As the Deputy will be aware, I recently launched an important new initiative which seeks to break the cycle of educational disadvantage in selected urban and rural areas. This initiative is in response to reports which I commissioned from the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre.

In line with the recommendations in the reports, a targeted programme of supports is being made available to 25 selected schools in designated areas of disadvantage in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford 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.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, on the basis of the information currently available to my Department, the school in question is eligible for consideration for support under the scheme and will have recently been invited by the Education Research Centre to submit an application for inclusion in the scheme. The centre will prioritise all applicants in terms of level of need as represented by the data submitted by the schools and will advise my Department of the outcome.

Schools selected as a result of this process will be invited to submit five-year development plans. Each such plan will be required to identify current difficulties and put forward specific proposals and targets for addressing the problems of educational disadvantage. Qualification for support will depend on the submission of suitable development plans.