Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta fá choinne an seans labhairt ar an ábhar iontach tábhachtach seo. Nuair a tugadh aitheantas do roinnt scoileanna sna blianta a chuaigh thart, bhí díospóireacht mhór timpeall na tíre fadúda na scoileanna a bheadh aitheanta. Bhí imní orthu ag an am sin ach anois tá na scoileanna uilig ag iarraidh stádas DEIS. Tá an bearna ag éirí níos lú. In 2001 bhí bearna de 17% idir na scoileanna a bhí stádas DEIS acu agus na scoileanna nach raibh an stádas sin acu. Anois tá bearna de 8% ann. Tá an bearna ag éirí níos lú. Níl muid ann faoi láthair ach táimid ar an bhealach ceart. Is é an rud is mó atá i gceist ná acmhainní. I mbliana bhí €124 milliún i gceist sa bhuiséad fá choinne DEIS. Tá comhrá agus díospóireacht anois ann faoi stádas na tíreolaíochta agus an stair. Táim ag amharc ar na míbhuntáistí, na bearnaí, agus na rudaí atá lag sna scoileanna nach bhfuil stádas DEIS acu. Sin an bealach ina mbeimid ag obair. Tá na sonraí ag an Teachta sa fhreagra ar an seancheist.

Is é sin an bealach a bheimid ann. Tá an freagra ag an Teachta ón tseancheist agus tá cúpla sonra aige.

The Deputy has the answer from the parliamentary question he asked but I will add to it with a few statistics. He referenced urban DEIS and band 1 and band 2. For the 2018-2019 school year, 896 schools that serve more than 183,000 pupils are included in the DEIS programme. Within this cohort there are 232 urban band 1 schools and 107 urban band 2 schools. Among the 359 rural schools and 198 post-primary schools are 79 schools that have the highest concentrated level of disadvantage. They were added to the DEIS programme for the first time from September 2017.

We know DEIS is working and that the gap is getting closer in terms of progression to leaving certificate. In 2001 the gap was 17% and it has decreased to approximately 8%. We still have a long way to go. The Deputy highlighted schools which have the advantage of having home school liaison officers. This makes a massive difference. The resources and pupil-teacher ratio make an incredible difference.

The Deputy referred to urban band 2 and how we could add to what we have already. I want to get accurate data on this, which is why we are doing a statistic analysis on socioeconomic indicators. We have compiled the data and we want to analyse it. The traditional methodology of measuring socioeconomic disadvantage was to do so on a geographical basis. The world is changing as is the country and this is no longer the method used. There is disadvantage in some areas which have been perceived as non-geographically disadvantaged. There are also challenges in urban and rural areas. I want to work with the Deputy. I am open to ideas as to what is the best way to do this. The change has to be on a gradual basis but also done in a very targeted way.

See this speech in context