Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----in the same way for every school throughout the country. We have on this occasion been able to increase the number of schools in the disadvantaged programme by 2%. The criteria I cited are the ones that are used and that the Deputies cited. They relate to unemployment rates, social class, occupation, overcrowding of children, lone parents, the education levels of parents, dependency ratios and population decline. These are objective measures which are applied to every school in the same way. Tipperary's need has been recognised. Two additional schools in Carrick-on-Suir have received special DEIS status. We envisage that some schools that have not been included this time have a case to make, but we have only been able to include those in the areas with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. However, I hope to be in a position to look afresh at the matter in the future.

To respond to Deputy Jacie Cahill, any school can seek a review of how the process has been applied in its case, but the same criteria apply.

Deputy Seamus Healy referred to high levels of learning support and special educational needs. The service is allocated not through the DEIS programme but through resource teacher allocations. I have reformed that system in order that, from next September, it will be done in a fairer way, with resource following the need in a school. The 900 additional teachers will go to the schools with the greatest levels of need. This is a beneficial change. We will see progressive improvement in the way resources follow the children with the greatest learning support and special educational needs.

This is the start, not the end, of a journey.

See this speech in context