John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way a new action plan will affect a school from applying for Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools status under proposals from his Department's action plans for disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18837/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the review of the DEIS programme is currently underway and it is my intention that a New Action Plan Educational Inclusion will be published by the end of this year.

The current DEIS Action Plan, was published in 2005 and now provides support to 836 schools serving a total of 169,500 pupils. The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the identification process for the inclusion of schools in the programme, the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, and the scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and agencies, in order to improve effectiveness.

As part of the review, targeted measures in a number of key areas will be considered. They include: Supporting school leadership; Networks and clusters for DEIS teachers and schools; Teaching methodologies; Exploring ways in which the work of schools could be better integrated with other state supports within the community, and in consultation with Minister Zappone, making greater use of Home School Community Liaison.

I intend that innovative measures such as these, which are shown to work well in improving results for disadvantaged children and students, can form pilot schemes under a new schools support programme.

The number of additional schools to be included in the new programme will be determined by a new identification process for this purpose, which is currently in development and all schools will be assessed. Schools will not be required to make an application for access to the programme. Subject to Government approval, it is intended to begin to implement actions arising from an updated plan in the 2017/18 school year.