Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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915. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the delivering equality of opportunity in schools programme, and the review that was taking place; and if a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will be included in the programme. [37205/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I would like to explain that an extensive identification process to select schools for inclusion in DEIS was conducted in 2005.In spite of a number of reminders issued by my Department, a completed survey form was not received at that time from the school in question and therefore it could not be assessed for participation in DEIS.Furthermore the school did not participate in a follow-up appeal process to address the concerns of schools that did not qualify for DEIS status.

You will be aware that the process for the review of the DEIS Programme is currently underway in my Department. This process involves a number of strands including:

- a consultation process with the Education Partners to inform the development of appropriate future interventions to tackle educational disadvantage;

- the establishment of an inter-Departmental Group to ensure a joined-up approach to future delivery of services in the DEIS Programme;

- the establishment of a Technical Group which is working to establish what eligibility criteria are now appropriate to re-identify the level of need in schools

- the establishment of a DEIS Advisory Group within my Department.

The review process is being undertaken over the course of the current school year and will consider all issues pertaining to educational disadvantage. I hope to be in a position to make an overall proposal for the delivery of future interventions to tackle educational disadvantage after that. While this process is underway, I do not intend to make any changes to the current programme, including the addition of any further schools.