Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have been contacted by Scoil Áine Naofa and others which have expressed their extreme disappointment at the Government commitments to class size reductions for Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, schools. They are rightly unhappy that the commitment to class size reductions only applies to DEIS band 1 senior schools. DEIS band 1 junior and vertical schools are not being included. Will this be addressed in light of the great importance of DEIS schemes across the country? Will additional resources, including staffing, be allocated to DEIS band 1 schools as a matter of urgency? The Tánaiste will be aware that, by the very nature of the DEIS scheme, proper funding and class sizes are prerequisites. I ask him to provide a breakdown of how the planned investment of €5 million will be allocated.

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