Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
480. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional supports schools with DEIS status such as a school (details supplied) can expect in the coming years under new DEIS Strategy; and when these supports will be made available [27901/26]
View answerThe DEIS Strategy to 2035 sets out a whole-system, evidence-based approach to addressing educational disadvantage in all schools. It focuses on improving the opportunities and achievement levels of children at risk of educational disadvantage, developing more innovative approaches to addressing 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.
The strategy is underpinned by five key pillars:
Pillar 1 – Empowering children and young people impacted by intergenerational poverty and disadvantage to break the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage through improved educational outcomes.
Pillar 2 – Identifying need, allocating resources and evaluating impact.
Pillar 3 – The school in partnership with parents and the community.
Pillar 4 – Attending, enjoying and participating in school.
Pillar 5 – Learning, developing and progressing.
Over 700 schools will benefit through immediate actions to expand supports and resources through implementation of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the introduction of the DEIS Plus scheme. The strategy also includes:
• Expansion of HSCL supports - There are an additional 120 HSCL coordinators under the new DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the DEIS Plus scheme, including a pilot to those outside the traditional DEIS programme. Following this increase, there will be 660 HSCL coordinators working to support 21% of all schools, both DEIS and non-DEIS.
• Strengthened wellbeing, inclusion and community partnership supports
• Additional community link workers
• Increased capitation funding and additional supports for teacher professional learning
• Free period products in all schools by 2027
The DEIS Strategy to 2035 is a ten-year strategy which will be implemented through three consecutive three-year implementation plans: 2026-2028, 2029-2032 and 2032-2034. The final year, 2035, will be a review and redevelopment year. The new DEIS Strategy to 2035 will use evidence to drive improvement, ensuring that data, research and school experience shape how resources and teaching and learning supports are targeted for the greatest impact. A key objective under the strategy is the development and implementation of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework to track and measure the impact of the strategy to 2035. Annual progress reports will be published to track the delivery of the actions outlined in the implementation plans.
