Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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397. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review correspondence (details supplied); if she will provide funding avenues for this school to explore; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9653/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.

Following the largest expansion of the DEIS programme to date in 2022, the programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 260,000 students. This expansion added an additional €32million to the department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the overall allocation for the programme to over €180million.

The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. Schools that were included in the programme in 2022 were those with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage as identified through the refined DEIS identification model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model was applied fairly and equally to all schools. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie.

It is possible for two neighbouring schools to have a different profile in terms of proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and the relative weighting of disadvantage apportioned in each. The designation of neighbouring schools to different DEIS status does not mean that there is no educational disadvantage present in one school, but that the concentrated level of educational disadvantage of the two schools is different.

The DEIS Plan is based on the premise that in order to have the maximum possible impact on providing opportunities for students most at risk of educational disadvantage, then extra resources need to be targeted as closely as possible at those students with the greatest level of need. This will involve further development of the DEIS programme to create a more dynamic resource allocation model where levels of resources more accurately follow the levels of need identified by objective data.

Over the coming months my department will work with other government departments and agencies, the education partners, and stakeholders across the education sector to develop tangible actions informed by the recommendations set out in the OECD Education for Inclusive Societies ‘Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland' (2024). These actions will aim to build on the success of the DEIS programme through the development of a dynamic resource allocation model that can respond to changing levels of need and ensure that all children and young people in both DEIS and non-DEIS schools are supported to achieve in education.

Meeting the educational needs of children and young people arriving from Ukraine and other countries is a priority for the Government, and my department is determined to support the efforts of school communities across the country who have shown huge commitment and generosity.

Under the special education model, schools are provided with a baseline teaching allocation to assist with learning and literacy difficulties, including those arising from English Additional Language (EAL) needs. This support is available to all schools, irrespective of their DEIS status.

For schools experiencing an influx of students from Ukraine or other countries, the Additional Temporary Special Education Support Scheme has been established. This scheme is designed to provide schools with additional SET based on graduated thresholds of additional enrolments, ensuring that the educational needs of these students are met in the most inclusive manner possible.

My department also provides specific English Language support to schools with pupils newly arrived into the country that have English as an additional language. Approximately 1,000 additional teaching posts have been allocated to support schools with newly arrived entrants.

Schools may also apply for further language support through the staffing appeals process. Having considered the circumstances outlined by the school and having regard to the high number of pupils requiring EAL support, additional support may be approved to meet the educational needs of such pupils.