David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the criteria which must be met for home school community liaison officers in primary schools; the number of such appointments at present; the number of applications for same awaiting decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13234/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under DEIS, (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, which is currently being implemented by my Department, 80 additional posts have been allocated in order to extend Home School Community Liaison services to all 338 urban/town primary and 203 second level schools participating in DEIS that do not currently have a HSCL service, in addition to the 370 local coordinators already in place. To facilitate local HSCL co-ordinators working with the families of disadvantaged children, for the first time posts are being shared across the two sectors — primary and post-primary level. I have also given a commitment to schools not selected to participate in DEIS but already in the HSCL Scheme, that they will continue to receive HSCL services after 2006/2007. HSCL services will be provided to some 652 schools in total (282 second level and 370 primary schools) for the duration of the DEIS Action Plan.