Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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495. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the reason a school (details supplied) in County Kerry has lost its Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, status following its amalgamation with another school, resulting in an increase of two pupils on its roll; if she is aware that the school is highlighted as a model of best practice as a rural disadvantaged school, that it is involved in all available programmes to enhance the educational potential of its pupils, and that the loss of its DEIS status will have a detrimental effect; and if she will meet a delegation of parents and teachers from the school to discuss the loss of DEIS status and the effect this will have on its pupils, or if she is willing to restore the DEIS status to the school. [39370/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the new school in question continues to receive the current level of supports in respect of the number of eligible pupils from the former DEIS school until that pupil cohort have left the school i.e. for 8 years from the date of the amalgamation. These supports will include the existing DEIS grant and any other supports that the school had access to under the DEIS programme.

The Deputy may be aware that a process for the review of the DEIS Programme is currently underway. The review process is being undertaken over the course of the current school year. While this process is underway, I do not intend to make any changes to the current programme, including the addition of any further schools.