Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that all educational disadvantage schemes and supports are protected in Budget 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43079/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I do not propose to give any specific commitment on future budgetary decisions. This is a matter that I will have to consider with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the next budget and meeting our obligations under the EU/IMF Programme. The government will of course try to ensure all budget decisions are as fair and equitable as possible but I cannot give specific commitments here today.

DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion remains my Department's policy instrument to address educational disadvantage which focuses on addressing and prioritising the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities, from pre-school through second-level education.It should be remembered that over 50% of disadvantaged students do not actually attend DEIS schools.

A key focus of the Government's education policy is to prioritise investment in favour of those most at risk and to optimise access, participation and outcomes at every level of the system for disadvantaged groups. Therefore it is my intention that the additional resources available to DEIS schools are utilised to optimum benefit to achieve identified outcomes for the most at risk pupils.