The Deputy is referring to an announcement by the Taoiseach on 15 December 1999 concerning a Government three year plan to address educational disadvantage at all levels. One of the measures proposed was the allocation of 204 teaching posts for allocation to primary schools with the most significant concentrations of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The initial step in delivering this programme for primary schools entailed the identification of the number of "at risk" pupils in each primary school. All primary schools were requested to participate in a comprehensive and objective survey that was designed to identify the level of concentration in each school of pupils with characteristics that are associated with education disadvantage and early school leaving. The survey, which began in April 2000, was carried out by the Educational Research Centre – ERC – in Drumcondra for my Department. More than 75% of schools participated in the survey and the final results only became available to my Department late last year.