Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Educational Disadvantage.

Liam Aylward

Ceist:

1070 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress regarding an application by the board of management of a junior school (details supplied) in County Carlow for inclusion in the Giving Children an Even Break programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21609/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

Last January I launched a major new programme, Giving Children An Even Break, to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. The new programme will be run over a three year period and will cost some £26 million. The programme involves the creation of over 200 new primary teaching posts and the allocation of cash grants to primary schools in respect of disadvantaged pupils.

The schools targeted under the programme were identified through a comprehensive and objective survey of all primary schools carried out in March/April 2000 by the Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra, on my Department's behalf. All primary schools were invited to complete the survey questionnaire and over 75% of primary schools participated and returned completed survey forms to the ERC.

The Educational Research Centre's records indicate that a questionnaire to apply for inclusion in the new programme was not received at that time from the school referred to by the Deputy. In the absence of a completed survey form from the school, the

ERC was unable to assess the level of concentration of pupils in the school with characteristics that are associated with educational disadvantage.

Where schools expressed concern about the outcome of the survey in respect of their school, they were advised to make representations to my Department outlining their circumstances. Schools were informed that these representations would then be referred to the Educational Research Centre for consideration and my Department would then consider the position of these schools. In accordance with the approach outlined, representations from the school in question were forwarded to the Educational Research Centre. My Department has now received a report from the Educational Research Centre and the situation of such schools seeking inclusion in the new programme is currently under consideration. The school in question will be informed of the outcome in the near future.