Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the House about these schools.

Ensuring that children from the most disadvantaged communities in Galway and elsewhere receive the support they need to succeed at school is a key priority for this Government. To this end, we have significantly increased investment in tackling educational disadvantage in recent years. In 2007 we are providing nearly €730 million for targeted initiatives at all levels. This is an increase of nearly €95 million on the comparable 2006 figure. This investment supports the roll-out of additional supports under the DEIS action plan, through which 51 primary schools and 11 second level schools in Galway city and county will benefit from a comprehensive package of extra supports. Galway schools are well represented in the list of DEIS schools, making up nearly 12% of all the rural schools in the programme.

It is important to note that an independent review process was available to schools which did not qualify for the new programme. Additional schools were added to the programme as a result of making successful review applications. The Department of Education and Science is satisfied that all schools have been assessed on the basis of the best information available, ranked in terms of the correct criteria and given a fair opportunity to appeal.

Unsuccessful schools were advised at an early stage that they would be allowed to keep the supports they have under pre-existing schemes for the current school year. The Department of Education and Science is in the process of informing these schools that they will retain additional teaching resources for the duration of the DEIS action plan. The effectiveness of these posts will be reviewed in line with the ongoing review process in place for DEIS schools. It will be a condition of the retention of such posts that schools comply with any reasonable requirements of the review process.

Schools currently participating in the home school community liaison scheme will not be excluded from the scheme and, from the commencement of the 2007-08 school year, they will continue to avail of home school community support liaison services for the duration of the DEIS action plan. The level of service will be commensurate with the size of the school and its relative level of disadvantage.

Many schools retain additional capitation from previous schemes which have now been subsumed into DEIS. From the beginning of the 2007-08 school year this capitation will be offset against increases in the rate of general capitation. This process will take four years and will ensure that no school will experience a reduction in annual capitation as a result of this measure. Changes may arise from other factors such as enrolments.

I am satisfied that the Government has not only provided for a major increase in supports to our most disadvantaged schools through DEIS but has also addressed the concerns of schools which did not qualify for the new initiative. I thank Senator Ulick Burke for raising this matter.