Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 511: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools not in the DEIS programme previously in receipt of top-up funding provided under disadvantage initiatives that will have funding withdrawn as a result of budget 2009 considerations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37008/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 514: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the number of home school liaison posts will be reduced as a result of the withdrawal of funding for schools previously in receipt of support under disadvantaged schemes but not participating in DEIS; if so, the number of home school liaison posts and schools that will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37011/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 514 together.

Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. There is a need to focus targeted resources on the schools in most need and this is in line with the broad thrust of the recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General which are set out in his report on Primary Disadvantage of 2006 which inter alia, suggested that my Department should focus its educational disadvantage measures on those schools serving the most disadvantaged communities.

DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated School Support Programme. As a result of the identification and review processes, 876 schools have been included in the new programme under DEIS. These comprise 673 primary schools (urban and rural) and 203 second-level schools.

From the 2009/10 school year, disadvantage funding will continue to be allocated to the 673 primary and 203 post primary schools selected to participate in the DEIS programme. The allocation of disadvantage funding to some 1,900 primary schools and 73 post primary schools not identified for inclusion in the programme will cease. At present in both DEIS and Non-DEIS schools, there are 451 local Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) coordinators, providing HSCL services to some 651 schools across the primary and post primary sectors. Of these posts, 62 are being withdrawn from schools not identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme with effect from September 2009. 11 of these posts are shared across 19 primary schools and the remaining 51 across 73 post primary schools.

In the region of €800 million will be spent by my Department this year on tackling educational disadvantage at all levels — from pre-school to further and higher education. This represents an increase of nearly €70 million on the comparable 2007 figure and is testament to the Government's determination to prioritise social inclusion and ensure that all our children and young people get the supports they need to do well at school. Social inclusion measures across all Government departments have also been prioritised under the Towards 2016 agreement, the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-16 and the National Development Plan.