Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The planning areas are publicly available but I would be happy to forward the information to the Deputy.

We sit on a cross-departmental group that takes homelessness as a very specific and important issue. If Deputy Thomas Byrne wishes to raise any specific matters with me in that regard, I would be happy to take that information. I will take the note he mentioned and his comments highlight the complexity of the challenges and pressures that schools feel in different areas. That is whether they are dealing with criminal gangs, homelessness, anxiety or different coping, familial or society issues for students. The people at the coalface are the teachers and I get feedback from them on a daily basis when I meet them. It is that the challenges are changing but are very complex and evolving. We must be very supportive in that process.

5 o’clock

I reiterate the DEIS programme is a targeted supportive system. There are other schools not in the DEIS programme that I strongly believe should be in it, and that is why we are considering a targeted intervention. It will come down to the question of resources, but I am certainly happy to support further expansion in that regard.

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