Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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283. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details suplied) in County Westmeath has been refused DEIS recognition when the number of students from disadvantaged background has increased dramatically in recent years [27433/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Following an independent identification process in 2005, 875 schools were selected for inclusion in DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools).

The school to which the Deputy refers was among a number of schools that was judged as not having a sufficient level of disadvantage to qualify for 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. No application for review was received from St Bridget's Primary School.

My Department responded to correspondence from this school, in 2012, regarding obtaining DEIS status detailing the current position.

A key priority for my Department is to continue to prioritise and target resources in schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. That challenge is significant given the current economic climate and the target to reduce public expenditure. This limits the capacity for any additionality, or inclusion of further schools, in the DEIS programme.