Written Answers. - Belmullet (Mayo) School.
Séamus Hughes
Ceist:
86
Mr. Hughes
asked the
Minister for Education
if she will examine the anomaly which has arisen in relation to the granting of educational disadvantage status to Belmullet junior school, County Mayo and the non-application of the scheme to Belmullet senior national school (details supplied) in view of the fact that both schools are operating out of the same building; and whether she will take into account the historic situation in this particular situation with a view to granting educational disadvantage.
[19462/96]
The criteria applied in the selection of schools for inclusion in the Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage initiative and the selection process itself were devised and carried out by the Education Research Centre following close consultation with the Combat Poverty Agency.
The approach adopted was based on the outcome of detailed studies of educational disadvantage which I had commissioned from the two bodies in question.
Among the key issues raised in these studies was a concern that the criteria previously used in selecting schools for support did not have due regard to rural and dispersed disadvantage. It was recommended that the selection criteria be amended to better reflect educational disadvantage as manifested in rural as well as urban settings.
The studies also recommended a more targeted approach, with resources being directed towards the most disadvantaged urban and rural areas. It was considered that supports should be confined to 16 per cent of the school-going population. In this connection, it was noted that the disadvantaged areas scheme already extends to more than 17 per cent of pupils.
On the basis of the above findings, the Education Research Centre considered that the rural phase of the scheme should be targeted on schools with fewer than five teachers and particularly schools in rural areas which serve dispersed populations and which have concentrations of children who are at risk of not reaching their potential in the school system.
All eligible schools, including Belmullet junior school, were invited by the Education Research Centre to apply for inclusion in the scheme. As the Deputy is aware, the school in question was successful in its application.
However, the senior school in question was not eligible for inclusion in the scheme on the basis of its enrolments and staffing which exceeded the limitations deemed appropriate by the Education Research Centre.
In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to consider the inclusion of a school which did not qualify on the basis of criteria which have been applied to all schools.
