Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 86: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools and secondary schools in County Westmeath and County Longford that will lose their disadvantaged status post 2007 as a result of the new indicators in the integrated schools support programme envisaged under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23176/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

At the outset, I want to state that no school has been told that they are going to lose any of the resources that they have been receiving under pre-existing schemes for tackling disadvantage as a result of the introduction of the new DEIS initiative. On the contrary, the new School Support Programme is aimed at providing even more extra resources for the most disadvantaged schools in the country. Schools that did not qualify for the new programme will keep the extra resources they are getting under pre-existing schemes for the 2006/07 school year and after that they will continue to get support in line with the level of disadvantage among their pupils.

The new DEIS programme will be of huge benefit to schools in Longford and Westmeath. Three urban/town primary schools, 6 rural primary schools and 4 second-level schools in County Longford will benefit from the supports available from the new programme. In County Westmeath, 5 urban/town primary schools, 3 rural primary schools and 4 second-level schools will benefit.

I am sure the Deputy will agree that it is important to ensure that schools serving the most disadvantaged communities get all the extra support possible and will welcome the extra resources that DEIS will provide for schools in Longford and Westmeath. I can assure the Deputy that there is no reason for schools that have not been identified for the new programme to worry as they will continue to get support in line with the level of disadvantage among their pupils.

A review mechanism has been put in place to address the concerns of schools that did not qualify for inclusion in the School Support Programme but regard themselves as having a level of disadvantage which is of a scale sufficient to warrant their inclusion in the programme. This review process is underway and it is anticipated that it will be completed by the end of the current school year.