Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to raise two issues, both of which relate to education. The first relates to DEIS status allocation and the second relates to home school liaison teachers. We learned from the Department of Education and Skills that the process for DEIS identification uses data from the DEIS primary online database, the post-primary online databases and the CSO data, when measuring disadvantage and affluence in a particular area. Much of the online databases rely on postcodes and other information. This data is then used as a yardstick when allocating DEIS status. The unfairness of allocation of DEIS status is something I have raised in this House on previous occasions. The Minister, in his correspondence to me, has highlighted that just because a school is in a disadvantaged area, does not automatically mean that it gets DEIS status allocation. I would like to point out a very serious anomaly in this regard. This anomaly relates to the housing crisis and the reports from a survey that I completed with principals in Dublin 8 and Dublin 12, who indicated that they have a large proportion of students, which fluctuates between 10% and 20%, in situations where their students are characterised as the hidden homeless. This is where families are separated and where pupils are sleeping on couches of grandparents, aunts, uncles or friends for the purpose of attending schools. The figure of 20% in some locations is very high. For the purpose of not embarrassing the child, the parents in general put down the address for the grandparent or aunt. This information is then fed into the primary online database, POD, system that gives a distorted picture of the disadvantage or affluence in a particular area.

I know of three schools in Dublin 12 and Dublin 8 which fall into this category, and have not been allocated DEIS status. One is Our Lady of Good Counsel girls' national school, the Assumption girls' national school in Walkinstown, and the Drimnagh Castle boys' national school. These schools are an island among other DEIS schools and educate children from the most disadvantaged parts of the city. The review of DEIS status is coming up, and I implore the Minister to re-examine these schools for the purpose of DEIS status.

The second issue I would like to raise relates to home school liaison teachers and the need to increase the resources allocated to schools to provide for and support them. Their need and importance cannot be understated, with their vital role in supporting schools, families and pupils. One school in particular, Synge Street primary and Synge Street secondary school, share a home school liaison teacher. This is concerning when the primary school is categorised as an Irish medium stream school, with Gaeilge, and there will be a requirement for a home school liaison teacher in the future to have fluent Irish. This, of course, must be supported if we are to support the Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. Without these vital teachers buttressing the education system in disadvantaged areas, the cycle of disadvantage will not be broken. There is absolutely no excuse for every child in this country not to get the best national and secondary school education that most us have gotten. We are known for our world class education system and we cannot leave any children out.