Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 888: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the position regarding a DEIS school application (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14636/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) is my Department's action plan for educational inclusion, and provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The action plan has been rolled out over the period since 2006. 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. The ERC's overall approach was guided by the definition of educational disadvantage set out in the Education Act (1998), as: "...the impediments to education arising from social or economic disadvantage which prevent students from deriving appropriate benefit from education in schools".

In the case of second-level schools, the Department supplied the ERC with centrally-held data from the Post-Primary Pupils and State Examinations Commission databases. Based on an analysis of these data, the variables used to determine eligibility for inclusion in DEIS were as follows: - Medical card data for Junior Certificate candidates (including Junior Certificate School Programme candidates) 2002, 2003, 2004

- Junior Certificate retention rates by school for the 1995, 1996 and 1997 school entry cohorts - Junior Certificate exam results aggregated to school level (expressed as an OPS "Overall Performance Scale" - score). This was based on each student's performance in the seven subjects in which s/he performed best aggregated to school level for the 2002 and 2003 examination cohorts - Leaving Certificate retention rates by school for the 1995, 1996 and 1997 school entry cohorts.

The school to which the Deputy refers was among a number of schools that was 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.

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 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. There was no application for review received from the school in question. It is recognised that the majority of schools in Ireland may include among their pupils, children with disadvantaged backgrounds. In general most schools are equipped to support the individual needs of children with disadvantaged backgrounds without recourse to supplementary targeted resources. However, evidence has shown that when disadvantage levels are found in significant concentrations that schools will require additional supports to supplement their efforts to address the educational needs of all their pupils.

The main focus of Social Inclusion measures is to retain resources in schools participating in DEIS, as there is a need to focus targeted resources on the schools serving the most disadvantaged communities. This approach is in line with the broad thrust of the recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General which are set out in his report on Primary Disadvantage of 2006, which recommended that my Department focus its educational disadvantage measures on those schools serving the most disadvantaged communities.

My Department is currently preparing for the next identification process to select schools for inclusion in DEIS. A Steering Group has been established and commenced work in January 2009 to identify the variables which best predict achievement in schools. A comprehensive consultation process to include relevant education stakeholders will be put in place to ensure that the identification process meets the needs and concerns of all stakeholders.