Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 2

Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.

Michael Creed

Ceist:

449 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received a request from Talnadur national school in County Cork for inclusion in the disadvantage areas scheme and the Breaking the Cycle pilot project; the position regarding this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15445/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The school referred to by the Deputy is one of a number of schools that have applied to my Department for inclusion in the disadvantaged areas scheme and the Breaking the Cycle pilot project.

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 the most disadvantaged schools.

The Breaking the Cycle pilot project was subsequently introduced to deliver the sort of targeted support recommended in the study. The operation of this project is being closely monitored by my Department's inspectorate and the project is being evaluated by the Education Research Centre. No expansion of the project will be undertaken in advance of the outcome of the evaluation.

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 they may be undertaken to address educational disadvantage in the primary sector.