Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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424. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the planned investment of €5 million in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, or DEIS schools, will be allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34603/20]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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433. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to allocate the €5 million for DEIS schools announced in Budget 2021. [34778/20]

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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440. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the planned €5 million investment in DEIS schools will be allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34810/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 424, 433 and 440 together.

I am pleased to advise the Deputies that under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools catering for senior classes only. Most DEIS Urban Band 1 schools operate vertical schools with a ratio of 22:1.

As an initial step in addressing this, I have focused on a reduction in the Senior DEIS Urban Band 1 primary schools and therefore there will be a one point reduction in their staffing schedule from 24:1 to 23:1.

The total Budget allocation of additional funding of €2million in 2021, with a full year allocation of €5million in 2022 provides for further supports to be allocated as part of the DEIS programme to those schools catering for the highest concentrations of educational disadvantage. My Department continues to support those schools most in need. My Department is considering options on how best to achieve this.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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425. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the additional resources, including staffing allocated, to all DEIS Band 1 schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34604/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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DEIS - Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, is my Department’s main policy initiative aimed at tackling educational disadvantage in primary and post primary schools.

In the 2020/21 school year there are 887 schools, including 229 DEIS Band 1 Urban primary schools, participating in the DEIS programme serving in the region of 185,000 students.

My Department will invest in the region of €125 million this year on the DEIS programme. Details of the all the supports available to DEIS Schools can be found at:

In addition to the supports provided by my Department the majority of DEIS schools participate in the School Completion Programme (SCP) and the School Meals Programme (SMP). SCP is a key support under DEIS and the desired impact of the programme is the retention of young people to Leaving Certificate level, equivalent qualification or a suitable level of educational attainment which enables them to transition into further education, training or employment.

The objective of the SMP is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. Research shows the value of the provision of adequate and nutritious meals for a child's health, learning, attention and educational achievement. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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426. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the decision to extend the planned class size reductions to DEIS Band 1 senior schools only, and not DEIS Band 1 junior and vertical schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34605/20]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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434. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria applied to class size reduction; and the reason DEIS Band 1 schools vertical and junior school are not included in the class size reduction. [34779/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 434 together.

Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools catering for senior classes only. Most DEIS Urban Band 1 schools operate vertical schools with a ratio of 22:1.

As an initial step in addressing this, I have focused on a reduction in the Senior DEIS Urban Band 1 primary schools and therefore there will be a one point reduction in their staffing schedule from 24:1 to 23:1.

The total budget allocation of additional funding of €2 million in 2021, with a full year allocation of €5 million in 2022 provides for further supports to be allocated as part of the DEIS programme to those schools catering for the highest concentrations of educational disadvantage. My Department continues to support those schools most in need. My Department is considering options on how best to achieve this.