Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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5. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the number of schools which had to close on 22 May 2015 due to their use as polling stations for the referendums; if she will provide details on the impact this has on lost school days; if she will agree to liaise with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to draw up a plan to find alternative venues for polling stations to lessen the disruption on schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22313/15]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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On the previous issue, unfortunately, in my constituency there are no alternative locations either bar the local school. It may be different in rural areas but certainly in urban areas the school is the most appropriate venue.

My question is to ask the Minister's views on the recent evaluation report into DEIS, her proposals arising from that report and actions her Department will undertake to improve the scheme.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I have recently begun a process to renew the DEIS programme. This process involves a number of strands which will operate concurrently over the coming school year. These strands include, first, the current consultation with education partners on appropriate interventions to tackle educational disadvantage; second, the establishment of an interdepartmental group to ensure a joined-up approach to future delivery of services in the DEIS programme; third, the establishment of a technical group to develop criteria for a new identification process for which schools should participate in the DEIS programme; and, fourth, the establishment of a DEIS advisory group within my Department. Terms of reference for these three groups are currently being finalised.

All aspects of the DEIS programme will be considered as part of this work, including development of criteria to identify schools for inclusion in the programme and appropriate interventions that build on the positive outcomes being observed in DEIS.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I will ask some questions in my supplementaries about some of her proposals but regarding the terms of reference which are being drawn up, it is important as an Opposition spokesperson to point out some of the issues I believe should be included in those terms of reference. The first is to examine the issue of funding. There is no doubt that the Government has done its best to try to protect funding for DEIS schools. However, there has been a significant cut in other aspects in regard to DEIS band 1 schools. I refer to the loss of language support teachers, the loss of visiting teacher services and the reduction in the school completion programmes. With regard to funding, there must be a recognition that while addition funding is going into DEIS band 1 schools, there is less likelihood of voluntary contributions coming into those schools so there must be some mention in the terms of reference on how funding is being allocated. I will come back to the other points.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I will be happy to take suggestions on this from the Opposition spokespersons. I agree with the Deputy that we will have to ensure that we protect funding, and there will be issues around new schools coming in and protecting funding for existing schools. That will have to be central to the decisions that are made on foot of the review. Protecting that funding in terms of the allocation for the next budget will be my responsibility. Obviously, schools not currently in the DEIS programme will be applying and we will have to ensure that there is funding available to accommodate that.

The intention is to continue what is positive and good about DEIS, and there is a lot of positivity in terms of the outcomes. For example, one of the outcomes we have seen in the recent numeracy and literacy results is that while there has been an improvement in DEIS schools there has also been an improvement in other schools. The gap has not narrowed, and that is something we will have to examine.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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When we look at the differences, the gap is somewhere in the region of 0.2%. One of the proposals the Minister has examined is the establishment of an interdepartmental group. When will that happen? What Departments will be represented? What form of consultation will take place? Will a timeframe be put on that? When will it report back? Will there be an interim report? Given that we are in the final 12 months of this Government, it would be important that we would try to get those consultation processes under way as quickly as possible and to have them report back, if possible before the upcoming budget because I am sure some of the recommendations and outcomes of that consultation process will feed into the budgetary process.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I expect to get an update shortly on these matters in terms of the setting up of the groups and so on. I will come back to the Deputy when I have that information. I do not have an exact timeframe at this stage, and we are working on the terms of reference. I will come back to the Deputy as soon as I have that information.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Would it be possible to get a copy of the draft terms of reference and for myself and Deputy McConalogue to be allowed have some input into the process?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I have not got them myself yet but certainly it would be a good idea that the Deputy has an idea of what they contain.

The most important Departments in this regard are the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, which deals with issues such as school completion, and the Department of Social Protection, which organises programmes such as the school meals programme. There are probably some other Departments that should also be included.