Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 May 1997

Vol. 479 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Helen Keogh

Ceist:

207 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce class sizes to 15 pupils per class in Our Lady of Mercy primary school, Sligo, from the current level of 29, in view of the fact that the school is designated seriously disadvantaged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12646/97]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The maximum class size of 15 pupils to which the Deputy refers is part of a special support package being made available to schools selected for inclusion in the urban element of the Breaking the Cycle initiative. The initiative was launched in response to detailed studies of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre.

The Education Research Centre, which was charged with devising selection criteria and selecting schools for inclusion in the initiative, concluded that the initiative should have an urban and a rural focus. It further recommended that the urban element of the scheme should focus on schools in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford areas and that the rural element should focus on all schools with fewer than five teachers.

All eligible schools were invited to apply to the Education Research Centre for inclusion in the initiative and all applicants submitted detailed data on the level of disadvantage among their pupils under a range of headings. The centre selected schools on the basis of priority of need as reflected in the data submitted.

A total of 33 urban schools and 123 rural schools were selected for inclusion in the scheme. Based on its enrolment and staffing level, the school in question was not eligible for inclusion in the initiative.

The operation of the Breaking the Cycle initiative is being closely monitored by the Department's Inspectorate and the project will be evaluated by the Education Research Centre. The outcome of this evaluation will provide a basis for considering future developments in supports for disadvantaged areas. In the event of any such development being undertaken, the needs of the school in question will be considered.