Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if correspondence has been received by her Department (details supplied); her views on the matter; the steps she will take to ensure that the school receives the classification desired and most needed; when a decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20419/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school is included in the rural dimension of my Department's Giving Children an Even Break programme aimed at combating educational disadvantage. The school receives additional financial resources to provide educational supports to be targeted at disadvantaged pupils.

The new action plan for educational inclusion, Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools, which I launched recently, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme which will bring together and build upon several existing interventions for schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The new action plan will be introduced on a phased basis starting in the next school year. It will involve an additional annual investment of €40 million on full implementation. It will also involve the provision of some 300 additional posts across the education system.

A key element of this new action plan is the better identification of levels of disadvantage in our schools, which will result in improved targeting of resources at those most in need. The first stage of the identification process, conducted on behalf of my Department by the Educational Research Centre, is under way. Questionnaires issued to all mainstream primary schools and were due to be returned to the centre by 31 May 2005. The identification process is being supported by an advisory group which includes representation from the INTO and the Irish Primary Principals' Network.

Approximately 600 primary schools comprising 300 urban-town and 300 rural and 150 post-primary schools will be included in the school support programme. Existing schemes and programmes will be integrated into the school support programme on a phased basis over the implementation period.