548 Mr. Bree asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) in County Leitrim has applied for disadvantaged status under the Breaking the Cycle education disadvantage scheme; the way in which schools will be selected; when decision will be made regarding applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16099/96]

As the Deputy is aware, I recently launched an important new initiative, Breaking the Cycle, which seeks to break the cycle of educational disadvantage in selected urban and rural areas. The initiative is in response to reports which I commissioned from the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre.

In line with the recommendations in the reports, a targeted programme of supports is being made available to 25 selected schools in designated areas of disadvantage in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford urban areas.

In addition, 25 clusters of small schools with fewer than five teachers and particularly those in rural areas with high levels of disadvantage, will receive a targeted programme of supports. Schools from all parts of the country with fewer than five teachers are eligible to apply for inclusion in this scheme.

The Education Research Centre has recently been in touch with all the schools in question, inviting their applications. The centre is currently prioritising all applicants in terms of level of need as represented by the data submitted by the schools and will advise my Department of the outcome shortly.

The criteria being used to prioritise schools are as follows: long-term unemployment (one year or more) of the main breadwinner in the family; the family having a medical card; living in a lone-parent household; the educational level attained by the mother; the educational level attained by the father.