Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1082. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a review of the DEIS grading system and the payments scheme associated with identified schools which have needs far and above the threshold for DEIS 1 or 2, which would require specific and more targeted funding to help address deeply ingrained underlying educational issues will be undertaken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41320/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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DEIS is my Department’s main policy to tackle educational disadvantage. This year my Department will spend over €150million on supports for schools targeted at supporting the educational outcomes of those pupils most at risk of educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan acknowledges the allocation of additional resources, such as an improved staffing schedule, to Urban Band 1 DEIS primary schools with the highest concentrations of children at risk of educational disadvantage has served to improve learning outcomes.

The DEIS Plan published in 2017 noted that further analysis of the DEIS identification model was required to identify refinements which may be required to improve its accuracy and application in terms of resource allocation. A detailed analysis of school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016, using the HP Deprivation Index, has been carried out by members of the DEIS Technical Group. My Department has commenced a consultation process with education stakeholder representatives on the refinement of the model, and work is ongoing on further elements of the model.

It is envisaged that the refined DEIS ID model, when complete, will provide the basis for the development and application of a refined DEIS resource allocation model to ultimately match resources to identified need. Until this work is complete, it is not planned to alter the current DEIS resource allocation process.