Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to restore the rural co-ordinator service under the home school liaison service. [27534/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware the DEIS Rural Coordination Service was discontinued with effect from 31 August 2011.  At that time there were 46 Rural Coordinator Posts at a cost of €2,714,000.

The impact of socio-economic factors on educational outcomes can be different between urban and rural settings and we need to take account of that. Evidence strongly suggests that disadvantage associated with rural poverty does not have the same impact on educational achievement as is the case in the urban context.  While urban and rural disadvantage share many characteristics, such as poverty, unemployment and poor housing conditions, as such disadvantage in a rural context does not have the same impact on educational performance. The Performance Report from the National Assessments of English Reading and Mathematics (NAERM), 2014 highlighted the gap that exists between DEIS urban Band 1 schools and pupils in other schools in both reading and maths. Performance in rural DEIS schools is about the same as the national average, while performance in DEIS Band 2 primary schools has improved substantially according to the 2014 National Assessments. Assessments of reading and mathematics performance in DEIS rural primary schools show that students in these schools in some cases perform better than rural non-DEIS schools and at the same level as their counterparts in urban non-DEIS schools.

My Department's objective in implementing DEIS Plan 2017 is to have the maximum possible impact on providing opportunities for students most at risk of disadvantage.  To achieve this, additional resources must be targeted as closely as possible at those students with the greatest need in terms of concentrated levels of disadvantage.  Accordingly, DEIS Plan 2017 does not include a measure to restore the rural coordinator service.

The Deputy may wish to note that Rural DEIS primary schools continue to be supported through the DEIS programme with a range of additional supports, including grant aid in the form of a DEIS grant, enhanced book grant, access to the DEASP School Meals Programme and priority access for teachers to a range of professional development programmes as well as the Incredible Years and Friends programmes.