Vol. 467 No. 4
174 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education whether she has received a submission from the Ballyfermot Education Partnership Committee, Dublin 10 that welcomed the Breaking the Cycle initiative, detailed the social disadvantage that is prevalent in Dublin 10 and requested that local schools be included in the initiative. [13224/96]
I have received the submission to which the Deputy refers.
The Education Research Centre has recently been in touch with all eligible schools, including schools in the Ballyfermot area, inviting them to apply for inclusion in the Breaking the Cycle initiative. On the basis of the information currently available to my Department, I would expect that a significant number of schools from the area in question would be eligible to apply for inclusion in the scheme.
The Education Research 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 fiveyear 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.
