Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 495: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if all appeals regarding the DEIS initiative have been determined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42789/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The SSP will bring together and build upon a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage.

The process of identifying primary and second-level schools for participation in DEIS was managed by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of my Department and supported by quality assurance work co-ordinated through the Department's Regional Offices and the Inspectorate.

A review mechanism was put in place to address the concerns of schools that did not qualify for inclusion in DEIS but regarded themselves as having a level of disadvantage which was of a scale sufficient to warrant their inclusion in the programme. The review process operated under the direction of an independent person, charged with ensuring that all relevant identification processes and procedures were properly followed in the case of schools applying for a review. The closing date for receipt of review applications was 31 March, 2006. The Group have submitted a final report and the review is now concluded.

As a result of the identification and review process, 873 schools have been included under the DEIS action plan. These comprised 670 primary schools and 203 second-level schools.

A number of urban primary schools included in Band 2 of the programme applied for review and a number of these were successful and were identified for inclusion in Band 1. The remaining Band 2 schools, that had not applied for review, were then afforded the opportunity of applying for a review. Completed applications for review had to be submitted by 25 September 2006. The review process for these applications has now been completed and schools will be notified of the outcomes shortly.