Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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123. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in light of the OECD's 'Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland' published in 2024, which highlights ongoing disparities in educational outcomes despite existing support mechanisms, if she will commit to a comprehensive policy review of the current resource allocation model for schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16176/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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My department invests over €180 million annually to provide additional supports to almost 1,200 schools in the DEIS programme which supports approximately 260,000 students. This programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage.

Schools that were included in the most recent expansion of 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.

The DEIS programme 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, extra resources must be targeted as closely as possible at those students with the greatest level of need.

There is a shared focus to close the performance gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and introduce more innovative solutions to tackle disadvantage. A new DEIS Plan will be published in 2025. This plan will focus on improving the opportunities and achievement levels of children at risk of educational disadvantage, developing more innovative approaches to tackling educational disadvantage, and working towards a more flexible system of supports to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time.

Officials have held a programme of consultation with a range of relevant stakeholders. This includes engagement with around 200 principals of primary and post-primary schools, a number from schools whose students are most acutely disadvantaged. This engagement provided rich insights. Consultations with students, teachers, Home School Community Liaison coordinators and School Completion Program coordinators has also occurred.

My department is also to intensify its engagement with other government departments and agencies, education partners, and stakeholders across the education sector to develop a plan for a DEIS plus scheme that will address barriers, within an overall work programme to tackle educational disadvantage.?

It is important to remember that special needs assistants (SNAs) are allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to both DEIS and non DEIS schools. These resources are provided as a school-based resource to meet the care support requirements of the children enrolled. Allocations are based on the individual school’s student profile.

The Special Education Teaching (SET) Allocation Model is a model based on student needs. This ensures the allocation supports all children that require a level of additional teaching support as identified through the Continuum of Support framework. For the 2025/26 school year close to 15,000 special education teachers have been allocated to mainstream schools, both DEIS and non-DEIS, to support children and young people with special educational needs.

It is open to any school who feels like it has insufficient SNA or SET support to meet the needs of its students to seek a review of its allocation directly to the NCSE. Where additional supports are deemed required, they will be provided.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.