Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed with the reply. Some schools are constantly applying to the Department for DEIS status and have been refused on grounds that do not make sense. When schools that are beside each other, with the girl from one family attending a girls' school that does not have DEIS status while the boy attends a school beside it that does have it, the whole system is wrong. Whatever the criteria are or whatever the information is that needs to be given, that needs to be changed. It is so important that schools that apply for DEIS status get it. As I said earlier, children's lives are deeply affected by school and DEIS status gives many additional supports to schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas, where it is very important.

There are three schools in Tullow and not one of them has DEIS status. That should not be allowed to happen in a town such as Tullow. Of the two primary schools in Tullow that have contacted me, neither has DEIS status.

I presume the Minister of State is getting a lot of requests about the review in respect of DEIS status because it is being looked at in terms of new criteria and so on. I do not want to be back here in six months or a year's time to hear the Minister of State telling me the same thing again. I do not want to hear the issue is still being looked at because these schools I am representing cannot wait any longer. They need the supports and that includes the teachers, students and families involved.

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