Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 October 2025
73. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which DEIS Plus funding will support trauma-informed educational practices in schools, including the provision of additional staffing, funding and infrastructure for the development of nurture rooms and dedicated support spaces. [57687/25]
View answerTackling educational disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a key priority for the Minister for Education and Youth.
Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027 to support the implementation of the new DEIS plan and the introduction of the DEIS plus scheme, which will be published before the end of 2025.
The DEIS plus scheme will provide additional supports to schools with the highest level of need, in line with Government’s commitment. It will provide targeted support to a small group of schools with the highest concentration of students experiencing intergenerational disadvantage. The DEIS plus scheme is currently being developed in collaboration with principals, Home School Community Liaison workers, School Completion Programme workers, and children and young people from schools experiencing the highest levels of disadvantage in order to form a student-centred design approach for the DEIS plus scheme.
The details of the DEIS Plus scheme are currently in development within an overall programme of work to tackle educational disadvantage which will be outlined in a new DEIS Plan to be published before the end of this year.
