Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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415. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the status of an application for a DEIS scheme in respect of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1214/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, a process to review the DEIS Programme began last year and is now nearing completion.  It is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion in the coming weeks.

The review process is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and between schools and its scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and Agencies, in order to improve effectiveness.

The review process includes the development of a  new assessment framework using centrally held CSO and DES data for the identification of schools for inclusion in a new Programme.  The number of schools to receive supports under a new School Support Programme will be determined by this new identification process, which will assess all schools in the country, including the school mentioned by the Deputy.  Schools will not be required to submit an application for assessment as the methodology being applied involves the use of centrally held data already available to my Department.

Implementation of actions arising from the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion will begin in the 2017/18 school year, and will be a continuing theme in our wider Annual Action Plan for Education.

Further information on the DEIS Review process is available on the Department's website at .