Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number and the schools in Counties Wicklow and Carlow classified as disadvantaged; the way in which these were selected; her plans to add more schools to this list; the names of these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5806/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Six post-primary and 11 primary schools in Wicklow and three post-primary and two primary schools in Carlow are currently designated as disadvantaged under the disadvantaged areas scheme. Under this scheme, schools are in receipt of such supports as additional supplementary capitation, 95% building grant for building projects, additional teaching assistance as well as participation in the home/school/community liaison scheme and so forth.

A key element of DEIS — delivering equality of opportunity in schools — the new action plan for educational inclusion is the putting in place of a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage in our primary and second level schools for the purposes of qualifying for resources, both human and financial, according to the degree of disadvantaged experienced. This standardised system will replace all of the existing arrangements for targeting schools for participation in initiatives to address disadvantage.

A new integrated school support programme will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions for schools and school clusters/communities with a concentrated level of educational disadvantage. Existing schemes and programmes will be integrated into the school support programme on a phased basis over the implementation period. The identification process is currently being finalised and selected schools will be invited to participate in the new school support programme shortly.