Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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890. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 503 of 30 September 2014, the criteria for eligibility as requested in that question; the reason that no new schools were allowed to participate in training for the reading recovery programme for this year; the number of schools-teachers that can be trained each year to participate in the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41484/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Reading Recovery is a literacy initiative that was initially made available for DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 schools only as part of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, which was launched in May 2005. Each of these schools was given an opportunity to have a teacher trained as a Reading Recovery teacher. In some areas where training took place in local cluster groups, schools other than those outlined were allowed to participate in the programme.

My Department, through the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), continues to prioritise support for DEIS Band 1 and DEIS Band 2 schools.

All schools can access support in the area of literacy as part of the roll out of a programme of continuing professional development for "Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life - The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy for Children and Young People 2011-2020". New schools have not been permitted to join the Reading Recovery Programme in light of the extensive programme of support available in the area of literacy.

There are currently over 500 schools participating in the programme.