Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have just come from a committee meeting. I thank the Cathaoirleach for choosing this matter because it is something I feel very strongly about. I also thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to it.

I had submitted this Commencement matter before yesterday's announcement and did not have the information or knowledge I have now following the announcement. I was very pleased to see the major expansion of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, programme announced yesterday. It is extended to an additional 310 schools, and 37 of the existing schools in the programme are being reclassified and are eligible for increased supports. That is incredibly important. I have always been a big supporter of this programme in schools. Indeed, I have seen the difference in many schools in Kildare. In fact, I taught in a school that was in the first classification back in 1990. I remember Sr. Concepta Conaty who worked on this programme and was a very strong advocate for it.

I believe the area of home-school liaison is incredibly important for supporting parents and guardians and providing co-operation across the entire school community. Yesterday morning, I was with the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, in Newbridge town hall with regard to women's health week and I was delighted to see that one of the home-school liaison teachers I know had brought mothers from the school. They might not necessarily have availed of that event if not for the opportunity to meet within that school community.

While I welcome the six additions in Kildare, there is one glaring absence, in my view, which I wish to discuss. I have always been a powerful advocate for inclusive education. Access to education must be universal and the education we provide must meet the needs of every individual student. Our education system must be adaptable and flexible, and offer adequate support to advance learning and development. That is exactly what the DEIS programme does. It focuses on targeting additional resources at schools with the highest concentration of students at risk of educational disadvantage. It provides the home-school liaison that I mentioned, school completion, hot meals, extra teaching supports and extra schoolbook schemes. It is very important.

I have been calling within the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party for the widening of the band for some time. I am very proud that it was a Fianna Fáil Government that introduced this and I welcome the work of Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, in respect of it. However, Scoil Na Naomh Uilig in Newbridge has still not been included and, for the life of me, I cannot understand why. I remember 2017 when the then system was expanded. I could not believe how this school, the newest and biggest school, catering for most certainly the children coming from more vulnerable backgrounds, was not included in 2017, and I was absolutely shocked to see that it was not included yesterday. I contacted the Minister's office immediately and I was told there will be a chance to appeal. I really cannot understand what is happening.When I look at the criteria being used, I fail to understand why this school was not included. The point is improving school attendance, participation and retention and that would benefit the whole school community. I am concerned for this school community. I know the former principal of the school extremely well and I know she spent so much time going out to the parents, trying to encourage them to send their children to school and working with them. At times, she felt like a social worker and she had to take that role on because there was no home school liaison or school completion officer. I ask for a strong message to go back to the Department to ensure Scoil Na Naomh Uilig is included.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important matter. As the Senator will be aware, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, is the main policy instrument of the Department of Education to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. DEIS schools benefit from a range of supports, including a DEIS grant, access to home school community liaison officers and a school completion programme, in addition to priority access to continuous professional development and other supports. The DEIS programme focuses on targeting additional resources at schools with the highest concentration of students at risk of educational disadvantage.

There is a strong evidence base in the Irish context that the social class mix of a school matters. This provides a rationale for providing targeted supports to certain schools identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. This approach has been proven to reap benefits, in particular in those urban schools with higher levels of children at risk of educational disadvantage.

Yesterday, the Minister, Deputy Foley, announced the extension of the DEIS programme to include more schools at primary and post-primary level, supporting students with the highest level of educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32 million to the Department of Education's expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023 onwards. This is the largest ever single investment in the DEIS programme and I am proud to be part of the Government that will extend additional resources to those schools most in need.

Schools have been identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics-based model. This model uses information from the Department of Education enrolment databases and the Pobal HP deprivation index. The model was developed through extensive work by the DEIS technical group, which involved valuable input from stakeholders. Schools are not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.

This announcement by the Department of Education achieves the programme for Government commitment to complete the new DEIS identification model and to extend DEIS status to schools serving the highest numbers of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage. The Government will keep working towards an open and welcoming school system in which all students at risk of educational disadvantage will be supported to achieve their full potential.

I take on board the points the Senator raised regarding Scoil Na Naomh Uilig and I will highlight them with the Minister. I know the work of Noreen Duggan, the previous principal of the school who the Senator mentioned, the great efforts that happen in that school and the great model it provides in Kildare.

The Senator mentioned six schools but there are seven schools in Kildare that have secured DEIS status. They are Scoil Ída Naofa, Kilmeade; Scoil na Bhríde, Ticknevin; Scoil Bhríde, Suncroft; St. Patrick's NS, Morristown in Newbridge; Gaelscoil Átha Í in Athy; Scoil Mhichíl Naofa, Athy; and St. Conleth's National School in Derrinturn in Carbury. We recognise increased investment by Government for the provision of education in this schools but will bring back and highlight the point about Scoil Na Naomh Uilig in Newbridge.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am aware of the seven schools in County Kildare and appreciate the Minister of Education's inclusion of them in the system. I contacted the Minister's office yesterday to say I wanted this issue addressed in the Commencement matter after it had been selected, so I am disappointed there is not a response back specifically on that school. I appreciate that is not the Minister of State's fault. It is an excellent scheme and one of the best I have seen in education. I am pleased it was Fianna Fáil that introduced it and ensured that we had the extension announced yesterday. We need more clarity on the mechanism used. I cannot see how any mechanism could leave out Scoil Na Naomh Uilig. We need transparency around how schools are selected. I appeal for Scoil Na Naomh Uilig to be included. I understand there is an appeals procedure but that it will not be ready for two weeks. We will ensure there is an appeal for Scoil Na Naomh Uilig.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In the draft response I received, there was no reference to Scoil Na Naomh Uilig but I will bring it back to the Minister's office. The school will have the appeals mechanism there.

I emphasise that the DEIS programme focuses on targeting additional resources towards schools with the highest concentration of students at risk of educational disadvantage. The Department is committed to ensuring all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner they are assessed for inclusion in the DEIS programme. There will be an appeals process to allow schools to seek a review, including Scoil Na Naomh Uilig. We will work with them to navigate that process. The Department will publish the details of the process on its website shortly. We look forward to seeing that for any schools which believe the model did not adequately reflect their circumstances. It is important they have that process.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking the first three Commencement matters. It was appreciated.