Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
409. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional funding requirement for the rollout of DEIS plus in 2027; to provide an itemised breakdown of the projected additional costs; and to provide the estimated cost to include a further ten additional primary schools in the DEIS plus scheme. [68679/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority for the Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government.
The DEIS Plus scheme, launched as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of the DEIS programme. The scheme provides enhanced, evidence-based supports to schools identified through a nationally consistent, data-based model, which draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.
An allocation of €16.5 million has been provided for the implementation of DEIS Plus in 2026, increasing to €48 million in 2027 to support the full-year implementation of the scheme and the delivery of enhanced supports to participating schools.
Following the completion of the appeals process, a total of 129 schools have been included in the DEIS Plus scheme. The funding provided for 2027 is based on the implementation of the scheme across the identified cohort of schools.
The estimated additional funding required to extend the scheme to a further 10 primary schools would depend on a range of factors, including the enrolment profile and existing resources of the schools concerned, as well as the additional supports to be provided. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide a definitive cost estimate for such an extension at this time.
