Tom Brabazon
Question:240. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the DEIS Strategy; and when it will be published. [72849/25]
View answerWednesday, 17 December 2025
Questions (240)
Written answers
Tackling education disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a key priority for the Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme is a key policy initiative of Government to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. It is a goal of this Government to reduce educational disadvantage and promote equity across Irish schools, focusing particularly on vulnerable groups including children from lower socio-economic backgrounds, children living in homelessness, Travellers, and Roma and migrant communities.
The Minister is committed to addressing the performance gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools. The new DEIS Strategy which will include a DEIS Plus scheme will be published in early 2026. This Strategy will focus on improving the opportunities and achievement levels of children at risk of educational disadvantage, developing more innovative approaches to tackling education disadvantage, and working towards a more flexible system of supports to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time.
Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16.5 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027, to support the implementation of the new DEIS Strategy and introduce the DEIS Plus scheme commencing in 2026.