asked the Minister for Education if he will take steps to discriminate in favour of schools in designated deprived areas in the matter of (1) teacher/pupil ratio; (2) administrative and clerical staff; and (3) school facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

: The regulations governing teacher/pupil ratios, support staff and school facilities are of general application.

The Rutland Street National School Project in Dublin was in effect a special experimental educational measure discriminating in favour of a deprived area. The curriculum developed for this project is being used in special infant classes in seven selected schools to which additional teachers have been allocated.

: Therefore, may we take it that the teacher-pupil ratio in terms of its general application will not be interfered with in relation to deprived areas? In other words, it is not now the intention to establish a policy of a more favourable teacher-pupil ratio in schools in deprived areas other than the extent to which this is permitted by existing regulations?

: I have told the Deputy already that in selected areas, and mainly for purposes of research and experimentation in order to ascertain what can be done in this regard, seven schools are now operating a Rutland Street-type project. However, the Deputy is slightly off beam in relation to the teacher-pupil ratio because many of the schools in those areas have very good teacher-pupil ratios. There are other problems to be dealt with as well as that of the teacher-pupil ratio.

: While accepting the Minister's concern in these matters, I would remind him that he is on the record of the House on a number of occasions since the election as being willing to discriminate in favour of some of these schools. Practically speaking, what has that expression of willingness meant to date?

: It has meant allotting remedial teachers in individual cases and being flexible with regard even to pupil-teacher ratios. The Deputy knows the truth of that in some instances.

: When will the experiment be finished and will the results be published or made known to the House?

: The results of the major experiment were published some time ago and a second report is being prepared.

6.