Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the data used in establishing the criteria for DEIS schools took account of the number of persons on rent supplement or other housing payments in a given area given the number of persons eligible for social housing who are currently in the private rental market due to shortage of social housing supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12473/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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A significant benefit of the new identification process for DEIS Plan 2017 lies in its capacity as a uniform system adopting common criteria and a consistent application across all primary and post-primary schools. 

The identification process used two key data sources namely the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area.  Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools. This data is applied uniformly across all schools in the country. 

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total funding for DEIS under the plan for 2017; the total spend pro rata per pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12474/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The total funding for DEIS in 2017 by my Department is €115 million.

There are additional supports available from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, under the School Completion Programme and the Department of Social Protection for the element of the School Meals Programme provided to DEIS schools.

In the current school year (2016/2017) the DEIS School Support Programme provides support to 825 schools, serving a total of 169,529 pupils.  The DEIS grant payable to schools is based on the pupil enrolment and level of concentrated disadvantage of individual schools.  Accordingly, a total spend pro rate per pupil is not available.