Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate where the Deputy is coming from. I have met with many of these principals and heard what they have to say. I acknowledge, as we all do, that DEIS has a very significant and positive impact on our schools. We see the benefit of it but we also know two things; there are children who are at risk of educational disadvantage who are attending schools that are not DEIS schools, and there are children attending DEIS schools that are looking for models, as outlined by the Deputy, such as DEIS plus.

To support us in the work we are doing, there is an OECD review. It is a significant review where we have invited the OECD project, Strength through Diversity: Education for Inclusive Societies, to review the current provision, in both DEIS and non-DEIS schools, with a view to looking at spaces and opportunities to do more, to do extra, to continue what is going well and to provide the additionality in areas where it is required. I do not doubt the earnestness, truthfulness and lived experience of the principals who have brought this to my attention. We will work through it. The first step is to have a critical and impactful review, which is being conducted by the OECD.

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