Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the Minister is present. I should have acknowledged that at the start. I understand that the school has band 2 DEIS status but it is really difficult to get your head around how two schools on the same campus that serve the same geographical area and, to a large extent, the same families fall into different DEIS bands with one in band 1 and the other in band 2. Around the country, where schools are side by side, they tend to be given the same DEIS status. That is what would be expected when that status is based on the socioeconomic and geographical situation. What exactly is the difference here? I know the Minister mentioned concentrated on disadvantage but these schools are literally on the same campus and in the exact same area and, therefore, I do not understand how one can be in DEIS band 1 while the other is DEIS band 2. Is there any way to get further information on that? Where does this leave the school now? I understand that it has gone through the appeals system but what are the next steps? Is this status decided annually? Can it apply next year? The outcome we are hoping for is that this would be looked at again. There has to be some sort of oversight. These are two schools in the same area sharing the same grounds and serving the same community. The schools serve many of the same families because one is a boys' school and the other is a girls' school and many families send their daughters to one and their sons to the other. I will mention the issue of gender because it does not look good that the boys' school qualifies for one status while the girls' school does not. I would welcome a bit more detail. I understand if it is not available right now but if it could be sent on, it would be appreciated.

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