Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the recent report How are our Kids in Tallaght West; if her Department had any meeting specifically relating to the report; the new measures, sanctions or proposals she proposes to introduce in response to the considerable problems highlighted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5789/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, in view of the recent report How are our Kids in Tallaght West, and its findings, particularly on the scale of educational disadvantage uncovered, the role her Department is playing in the co-ordination of the State's response to the considerable problems outlined in the report. [5790/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 125 together.

A key focus of education policy is to prioritise investment in favour of those most at risk and to optimise access, participation and outcomes at every level of the system for disadvantaged groups. The wide variety of measures in place in Tallaght and in other similar areas for tackling educational disadvantage and social exclusion reflect these concerns. These measures range from pre-school interventions, supports for tackling children's literacy problems, reduced pupil teacher ratios, increased capitation grants and measures to tackle early school leaving and strengthen ties between the school, the family and the community. In addition, there are interventions in support of youth and in providing "second chance education" for young people and adults.

DEIS — delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, which I launched last May, aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. The plan provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP, which will bring together and build upon a number of existing interventions for schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. Approximately 600 primary schools and 150 second level schools will be included in the school support programme.

The new action plan will be introduced on a phased basis, starting during the current school year, and 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. The key principle of early intervention underpins both the early childhood education measure and many of the literacy and numeracy measures being adopted under the new action plan.

The new school support programme will integrate a number of schemes and programmes that are currently benefiting schools in west Tallaght. Moving to a single programme of supports for all disadvantaged schools will result in a more integrated and co-ordinated approach. I met with Ms Katherine Zappone, the project leader of the childhood development initiative, CDI, in Tallaght last year and the report referred to by the Deputy was one of the issues discussed. The regional office of my Department in Tallaght also participated in the consultative group of regional agencies which provided advice and information in respect of the development of the CDI.

In December 2005, the office of the Minister of State with responsibility for children was established to maximise the co-ordination of policies for children and young persons and will have a range of functions previously under the Departments of Health and Children; Justice, Equality and Law Reform; and Education and Science. A new early years education policy unit has been established in my Department and it will be co-located in the office of the Minister of State with responsibility for children. Decisions of a policy nature relating to early childhood education, including the new action plan for educational inclusion, will now be pursued as part of the overall strategic policy framework developed by the office of the Minister of State.