Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I did not answer one of the Deputy's questions regarding new schools. A mechanism exists whereby new schools can be included in the scheme. All schools have been told that they will lose nothing in the coming year. Thereafter, it will be decided in terms of their levels of socio-economic disadvantage.

The Department chose to operate distinct urban and rural schemes for the reasons outlined by the Deputy. Different circumstances exist in respect of rural areas. Hence, such schools have their own category and compete against one another and not against urban schools. The Department recognises their differences. Different elements of the scheme apply to rural schools, because one might have a number of small rural schools which did not merit extra staff in themselves, but which had a shared co-ordinator and shared facilities, etc. Another question was asked in respect of County Mayo and it is interesting to note that 20% the schools in the rural element of the scheme come from that county.

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