Vol. 509 No. 3
90 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the complaints from many local drugs task forces regarding serious shortcomings in the educational services in disadvantaged communities; and if he will ensure that his Department has senior representation on each of the task forces in order that these problems can be addressed. [20180/99]
There are currently 316 primary schools and 211 post-primary schools in disadvantaged areas included in the disadvantaged areas scheme. Primary schools included in the disadvantaged areas scheme receive the following supports: supplementary capitation funding of £30 per pupil; 95 per cent building grant; television licence refund; maximum class size of 29 pupils; and preferential funding rates under the school books rental scheme. Post-primary schools included in the disadvantaged areas scheme receive the following supports: supplementary capitation funding of £30 per pupil, and the allocation of 209 disadvantaged teaching posts to 190 of the schools in the disadvantaged areas.
From the commencement of the current school year, the home/school/community liaison scheme has been extended to all first and second-level schools which have disadvantaged area status.
In addition, strategies are in place which are designed to tackle educational disadvantage and retention at second level including the 8 to 15 initiative – a pilot programme aimed at developing models of good practice relating to retention with a view to their integration, after structured evaluation, into mainstream policy – and also the junior certificate school programme and the leaving certificate applied programme, which are programmes designed for students who find the normal certificate courses unsuitable. There are also education measures promoted by agencies outside my Department such as the Combat Poverty Agency area-based partnership companies which have contributed to the retention of young people within the formal education system.
These measures are successful but have not represented a complete answer to this complex problem. I intend to introduce in the near future new arrangements which will enable targeted schools to tackle early school leaving.
My Department is aware that it has been an issue of concern for the local drugs task forces that it is not represented on the task forces. My Department is also aware that an independent evaluation of the work of the local drugs task forces recommended that in view of the significant contribution it can make to their work, the Department of Education and Science should be represented on the LDTFs. It is my understanding that what the LDTFs require is a direct link to the Department's management so that educational issues arising in their areas can be addressed, resolved, explained or clarified as necessary. It is however acknowledged that my Department has no immediately identifiable structures on the ground through which this can be achieved.
My Department is at present considering a number of options for the provision of representation on LDTFs with a view to having the matter resolved by the end of October 1999.
