Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
324. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the extent to which her Department engages directly with schools regarding their DEIS status; the mechanisms through which such engagement takes place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47153/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing educational disadvantage in all schools remains a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth.
My department engages regularly with schools and education stakeholders on a wide range of matters relating to educational disadvantage, including the DEIS programme and the implementation of the DEIS Strategy to 2035. This engagement takes place through a variety of channels, including direct engagement with schools, education stakeholders and representative bodies.
As part of the development of the new DEIS Strategy to 2035, my department established a DEIS Advisory Group and DEIS Plus Design Group. The department engaged with these groups regularly during the development of the strategy and continues to engage with them to support its implementation.
The DEIS Strategy to 2035 is the first long-term, whole-system approach to addressing educational disadvantage. This strategy recognises education as central to breaking cycles of disadvantage, expanding opportunity, and ensuring long-term security. It sets out a more flexible model of support, so that resources are aligned with each school's level of need as it changes over time.
Over 700 schools benefitted from the new DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the DEIS Plus scheme. Schools receiving additional supports under the new strategy were informed by email from the department on the morning that the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the DEIS Plus scheme were announced. These additional supports vary from school to school depending on the level of concentrated disadvantage but may include an increase in the DEIS grant, increased access to HSCL, access to the HSCL pilot programme and/or inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme.
Copies of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, its first Implementation Plan 2026-2028, and the DEIS Plus Scheme, as well as detailed papers on the identification models for both the DEIS programme and DEIS Plus are available on gov.ie/DEIS.
My department will continue to actively engage with school communities and education stakeholders regarding the implementation of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the range of supports which are available to schools serving children and young people at risk of experiencing educational disadvantage.
