Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing us to raise this Topical Issue. Thanks to the Department's decision, children in Tipperary town must continue to suffer unacceptable levels of educational deprivation. They are to be denied the extra assistance that comes with DEIS status, for example, school breakfast and literacy programmes. They live in areas with the highest level of concentrated disadvantage and will never receive further help because, in the words of a departmental official, a significant social and demographic change would have to be observed before a reassessment would be considered. However, that is already the situation, as the statistics show. In plain language, this means that the Department knows that the children are poor and deprived, but they will have to wait until they are even deeper in poverty and deprivation before it can help. That is ridiculous. It is 12 years since the last review, which is unacceptable. Will the Minister commit to directing his departmental staff to change the criteria? If we could not meet them, something is wrong with them.

The Minister most certainly snubbed the people of Carrick-on-Suir. Tipperary was good to him. He came down and got a bean chéile, with which we are delighted. The people and children of Carrick-on-Suir deserve better than what they have received. This is at the other end of south Tipperary. What the Department has done is shameful.

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