Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 April 2026
26. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth given the criteria that has been published for DEIS Plus, the reasoning schools (details supplied) did not qualify for this new scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29136/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government. The new DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year, launched as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS. The DEIS Plus scheme has a clear and defined purpose, which is to target a small number of schools with the very highest concentrations of children and young people experiencing persistent and intergenerational disadvantage, using an evidence based and nationally consistent identification model. Applying that model fairly means that not every school serving disadvantaged communities can be included in this very targeted scheme.
This approach ensures that additional resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact, and forms a core element of the wider €48 million full-year investment across both the DEIS Strategy and the DEIS Plus scheme. Approximately 30,000 children and young people attending the 121 DEIS Plus schools will benefit from these targeted supports.
It is important to stress that a school not identified through the DEIS Plus model does not in any way imply that the department is saying that disadvantage does not exist within that school community. DEIS Plus schools were identified using a refined, rules-based model built on nationally available pupil-level administrative data. The model draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage, including small-area deprivation, lone parenthood and unemployment, Traveller and Roma identity, and children living in State-funded emergency accommodation or international protection accommodation. These indicators are applied consistently across all schools using enrolment data from the past three years. For inclusion in DEIS Plus, schools must demonstrate both a level of disadvantage that is significantly above the national average under the model and a high concentration of pupils from very or extremely disadvantaged areas. Schools can, and do, experience significant levels of challenge and need, but still fall outside the thresholds required for inclusion in this very targeted scheme. Not being in included in the DEIS Plus scheme in no way dilutes the level of supports that my department will continue to provide to schools throughout the DEIS programme.
When the DEIS Plus identification model was applied to the schools referenced by the Deputy, the data reflected disadvantage, but not at the level of concentration required for inclusion in the DEIS Plus cohort. However, as DEIS Urban Band 1 schools, the schools will continue to receive significant supports, including an enhanced staffing schedule and access to the school completion programme. In addition, under the DEIS Strategy to 2035, DEIS grant and Home School Community Liaison allocations have been recalculated in line with the new model, with each of the schools referenced by the Deputy benefiting as a result.
My department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme. Relevant schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS Plus identification model to their school enrolment data will have the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. The appeals process will open in the coming days and schools will have a period of four weeks to submit to the department for review. Schools will be given the opportunity to update their school enrolment data for the years 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 on POD and PPOD, where they identify that the information already provided is not an accurate reflection of their school enrolment for those years. Schools may also request that the application of the model to their existing data is reviewed.
The review process will be overseen by an appeals board, the members of which are independent of the initial design and implementation of the DEIS Plus identification model.
When all appeals have been processed, schools will be informed in writing by my department outlining the outcome of the appeal. It is my intention that schools will be provided with the outcome promptly.
A circular outlining the full details of the appeals process will issue to schools in the coming days.
