The Department of Education is to rank the State's poorest primary schools, using a range of economic indicators, with the poorest getting additional funding, it was disclosed yesterday.
School principals have been surveyed on their pupils' circumstances and their parents' economic means and educational attainments and how many pupils come from one-parent families.
This information will be used to score the schools based on various socio-economic indicators. The Department will then work down the list to allocate £25 million in funding, which is aimed at combating early school-leaving.
The details of the scheme were disclosed by Department officials at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science yesterday.
At the meeting the Labour Party's education spokeswoman, Ms Roisin Shorthall, said seeking information on single-parent families was wrong.
"What are principals to do, inquire into people's private arrangements?" she asked. She said several principals who contacted her had not completed the survey because the question was included.
The survey is being conducted by the Educational Research Centre at St Patrick's College, Drumcondra. The ultimate aim of the survey is to identify the number of "at risk" pupils.
The Department has not made a decision on how many schools will be given a share of £25 million although it is understood it will be between 200 and 300. A large chunk of the funding will pay for the recruitment of 200 additional teachers.
The Fine Gael spokesman on education, Mr Enda Kenny, said: "Everyone now wants to become disadvantaged, it should be the other way. This is negative thinking, people think they will get more money and resources if they classify themselves as disadvantaged."