Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 651: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position of a promised review of the DEIS scheme operated by his Department; if a review is ongoing; if not, when a review will be undertaken, having particular regard to those schools that were excluded from the scheme when it was first established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26948/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, DEIS provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The DEIS plan also states that as well as provision being made for schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage, a measure of financial support will also continue to be provided for other primary schools where the level of disadvantage is more dispersed.

The process of identifying primary and second-level schools for participation in DEIS was managed by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of the Department and was 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 review was concluded and the results were notified to schools who applied for the review in August, 2006.

As a result of the identification and review process, 873 schools have been included in DEIS. These comprised 670 primary schools (338 urban schools and 332 rural schools) and 203 second-level schools. The next identification process is scheduled to be held in 2010.

In the interim, the Department has put in place separate arrangements for new schools (including those created through amalgamation), which opened in 2005/2006 or thereafter up to the time of the next identification process in 2010.

The Department has also proposed to review, before the end of 2008, the situation of schools located in certain communities that have experienced significant socio-economic decline since the commencement of DEIS. This review will focus on a small number of communities which have experienced very significant changes since the commencement of DEIS in 2005.