Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 236: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way a school (details supplied) in County Mayo can be reviewed for DEIS. [3185/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 254: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way schools can apply at this stage to gain disadvantaged status and be included in DEIS following changes in the local economy and so on. [3327/07]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 254 together.

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). DEIS will bring together and build upon a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The process of identifying 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 submitted a report and the review is now concluded. Schools who applied for a review were informed of the outcome in August, 2006.

My Department is considering putting separate arrangements in place to address exceptional situations arising up to the time of the next identification process which will be held in 2009/2010. These arrangements will apply to new schools (including those created through amalgamation), opening in 2005/2006 or thereafter. The arrangements may also apply to schools located in certain communities which have suffered significant socio economic decline since the commencement of DEIS. Consideration will be given to such changes at the mid-way point between the 2005/2006 and 2009/2010 identification process i.e. in 2007/2008. However, it should be noted that schools which have not qualified for inclusion in DEIS and which are receiving additional resources under pre-existing schemes for addressing disadvantage, can be assured that they will continue to receive support in line with their level of disadvantage.