Brendan Kenneally (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 658: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal in receiving recognition as a DEIS school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15175/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers is among a number of schools that were judged by an independent identification process in 2005 not to have a sufficient level of disadvantage among their pupils to warrant their inclusion in DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion. A review mechanism was put in place in 2006 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 procedures were properly followed in the case of schools applying for a review. The review was concluded and the results were notified to schools in August 2006. The school in question did not apply for a review.

The next identification process is scheduled to be held at the end of the current DEIS programme which runs from 2005-2010. The school in question will be provided an opportunity to be included in any future programme should it meet the qualification criteria at that time. There will not be an opportunity before this for the school to be included in the current DEIS programme of supports.