Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 758: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools in County Roscommon defined as rural disadvantaged for the years 2003-04 and 2004-05; her definition of rural disadvantage; the current special education teacher allocation for these schools; and the expected allocation from September 2005. [22765/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Since the launch of the Giving Children an Even Break programme in 2001, my Department provides support that is commensurate with the levels of concentration in schools of pupils with characteristics that are associated with educational disadvantage and early school leaving. The levels of disadvantage were established as a result of a comprehensive survey of primary schools carried out by the educational research centre in 2000 at the request of my Department. There are 58 schools in County Roscommon included in the rural dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, 19 of which has the services of a rural co-ordinator.

Section 32(9) of the Education Act 1998 defines educational disadvantage as "impediments to education arising from social or economic disadvantage which prevent students from deriving appropriate benefit from education in schools". A village or rural community with a population of less than 1,500 is defined as rural for the purposes of Giving Children an Even Break. The information on current and expected special education teacher allocations for these schools will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.