Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the consideration given to the designation of disadvantaged status for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; the time scale involved in making such a decision; if a decision can be made on an individual basis or if it has to be a national initiative in regard to the overall situation of schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9833/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans at present to extend disadvantaged status to additional schools, including the school to which the Deputy refers. Currently, there are more than 200 second level schools which have been designated disadvantaged under an initiative adopted in the mid-1990s. These schools, which were selected by reference to a range of socio-economic criteria, are in receipt of additional teaching and funding support.

I recently requested the educational disadvantage committee of my Department to undertake a comprehensive review of all support programmes in the area of educational disadvantage to ensure maximum synergy and integration. Arising from this review, the committee has submitted a range of proposals on a more integrated and effective delivery of school based educational inclusion measures. The Educational Research Centre has also conducted research in support of the committee's review and is currently engaged in further research in this area.

The recommendations of the committee are being considered in the context of a broad review of all initiatives targeted at addressing educational disadvantage which is currently underway in my Department.