Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have to decide on the criteria.

Totally new schools that were founded since 2009 did not get in either. Therefore, there is a problem. I am addressing it but it will take time to identify exactly which schools should be included and which should not. We need to ensure we provide the funding that is necessary. Inevitably, there will be more schools coming in. I do not want to cut the budgets of schools that are already in the DEIS scheme; nobody in this House would want to do so. Therefore, I will have to identify the funding that will be required for the schools that will be eligible under the new procedures. However, we have started work on this already and will work as quickly as we can. Doing the work within one year is difficult enough. It is a tight deadline. There are very detailed technical specifications that have to be worked out. We will do the work in the timeframe and announce our decision as soon as we can.

I have a very strong commitment to educational disadvantage and always have had. I want to ensure that we include as many schools as possible in the DEIS scheme so we can have more equality of opportunity for all children in schools.

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