Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress his Department has made on establishing the proposed new schools excellence fund; and the aims and purpose of the proposed fund. [39358/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The development of proposals for a School Excellence Fund (SEF), to promote excellence and innovation in the context of available resources, is a key action under the draft Action Plan for Education 2016-2020, currently being finalised within my Department.  Work on the development of proposals for a SEF is underway.  The primary aim of the SEF will be to encourage schools to work innovatively and creatively in their pursuit of improved learning outcomes for their students. Within the context of targeting resources at our most disadvantaged students, it is intended that the SEF will enable schools to apply for funding to implement innovative programmes which are context-specific and aimed at improving learning outcomes. Access to the SEF is being designed to ensure that some of the barriers frequently cited by school personnel as being impediments to improvements can be removed.