Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she intends to tackle educational disadvantage in the Tallaght area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6847/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Some €540 million was provided by my Department in 2004 for programmes specifically designed to tackle educational disadvantage in accordance with the strategies outlined in the National Action Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2003-2005, and the latest partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, which contains a special initiative on educational disadvantage. Very significant additional funding is being provided to alleviate disadvantage in 2005. That additional funding will allow for the targeting of measures from pre-school through the school system to third level, second-chance education and adult literacy.

My Department has targeted resources at those most at risk of educational disadvantage in Tallaght. This includes provision in the following areas. Under the Giving Children an Even Break programme, 13 primary schools in Tallaght have received additional teaching posts to implement reduced class sizes of 20:1 for junior classes and 27:1 for senior classes. There are six school completion programme clusters in Tallaght, encompassing six post-primary and 19 primary schools. A school completion programme co-ordinator has been appointed to work with each of those clusters. In 2004, the six clusters received a combined allocation in excess of €1.2 million. There are 18 primary and seven post-primary schools in Tallaght participating in the disadvantaged areas scheme, which benefits schools by providing over-quota teaching posts, additional funding to launch book rental schemes, additional capitation grants of €38 per pupil and a home-school liaison grant to develop links with parents.

There are 17 primary and seven post-primary schools in Tallaght participating in the home-school community liaison scheme. This scheme is concerned with establishing partnership and collaboration between parents and teachers in the interests of the child's learning.

As part of the roll-out of services of the National Educational Welfare Board, which is the national body with responsibility for school attendance, four educational welfare officers have been assigned to the Tallaght area. The Tallaght youth service has been allocated funding of €700,000 to help targeted groups, including early school-leavers, young mothers and Travellers, with self-development. My Department has also provided support for second-chance education in west Tallaght through the Youthreach programme, the back to education initiative, and the local senior Traveller training centre.

As part of a wider system of structural reform, my Department has recently established a regional office in Tallaght. That office will help identify education issues arising at a local level, particularly gaps and overlaps in social inclusion provision, and provide regular reports to my Department. The local presence will help my Department to continue to target resources at those most at risk of educational disadvantage in Tallaght.