Richard Bruton
Ceist:558 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science when St. Joseph's national school, Corville, Roscrea will be included for disadvantaged status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9734/99]
Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.
A study of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre in 1996 concluded that disadvantaged status should be confined to 16 per cent of the school-going population. The study noted that such status had already been granted to 17 per cent of pupils. As an alternative to extending the disadvantaged areas scheme to additional schools, the study recommended that available resources should be targeted on schools already in the scheme which have the greatest concentration of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The breaking the cycle of disadvantage scheme was subsequently introduced to deliver the sort of targeted support recommended in the study. This scheme is operating over a planned five-year period. The operation of the scheme is being closely monitored by my Department and the scheme is being evaluated by the Education Research Centre.
I recently announced details of a major initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. This initiative involves expenditure of £57 million over the next two years to address educational disadvantage at all levels in the education system. It represents the largest ever programme of its type in this country and it is my intention to build further on this initiative in the years ahead.
I can assure the Deputy that the needs of the school to which he refers will be fully considered in the context of any additional initiatives which may be undertaken to address educational disadvantage in the primary sector.