Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the Deputy's integrity and genuineness in bringing forward this issue which I know is close to its heart. I recognise the work principals do with boards of management, parents associations and the local community to fight for resources for their schools. The Deputy is correct that they generally do so only when they know that they need them. The new process in place will examine applications objectively. I will convey the Deputy's clear message to the Minister, in particular, on the issue of the urban-rural classification. I will raise the issue because it is important.

When the data have been assessed, the analysis will be beneficial in making decisions. For the first time, the Department has introduced an objective statistics-based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS programme in order that all stakeholders will have confidence that additional resources are being targeted at the schools identified as having the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage. The schools included in the programme, with effect from September 2017, are the ones which have been identified as having the highest concentrations of disadvantage among their pupil cohorts.

The schools that have not been included at this stage, and which include the Convent of Mercy national school, Belturbet, County Cavan, which Deputy Smith has just raised, are those which have not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage among their pupil cohort under the new identification model. It is also important to note that this is the first step in a process, and the fact that a school has not been included now does not preclude its inclusion at a later date if the Department's assessment indicates a level of disadvantage that warrants inclusion in the programme. With the analysis at the moment and the additional information the Deputy has provided, I will make sure this case is looked into and I will raise it on his behalf with the Minister, Deputy Bruton.

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