Pat Buckley
Question:236. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) can be included in the DEIS urban band 1 programme. [8884/26]
View answerThursday, 5 February 2026
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Tackling educational disadvantage is a key priority for me as 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 €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 to introduce the DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year.
The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. The new DEIS Strategy, which will be published in Q1 of this year, will focus on improving the opportunities and achievement levels of children at risk of educational disadvantage, developing more innovative approaches to tackling educational disadvantage, and working towards a more flexible system of supports to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time.
Any future changes to the identification model and overall allocation of resources will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy.