Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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546. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will give urgent and detailed consideration to the issues outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29472/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to fulfil their full potential in life is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth, and for the Government. The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. It provides a targeted range of supports and is additional to the universal supports provided to all schools, such as the introduction of free school books and free hot school meals.

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.

The DEIS 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.

Schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme based on their standardised disadvantage score. Schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage are included in the DEIS programme, with those urban primary schools having the very highest levels of disadvantage being assigned to Urban Band 1.

All schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data, were provided with the opportunity to make an appeal. Circular 0019/2022 outlined the details of the DEIS appeals process. Under the DEIS appeals process, schools were provided with the opportunity to have the application of the refined DEIS identification model to their schools data reviewed. The appeals process also offered schools the opportunity to review their school enrolment data which they had submitted to the department and to improve its accuracy if necessary. All appeals submitted have now been processed by the department and schools have been notified of the outcome. The DEIS appeals process was applied fairly across all appellants, the window for appeals has now closed and the results are final.

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 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.

As Minister, I am determined 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.

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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547. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to reply to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29473/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.

Bus Éireann has advised that pupils from the area referred to by the Deputy are generally not eligible for school transport to the school in question. Bus Éireann has further advised that they have not received any applications for school transport from the area referred to by the Deputy to the school in question. There is no service in the area operating to this school.

Under the current terms of the scheme, pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post-primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre are deemed eligible. Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.

Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann will determine the allocation of the tickets using a selection process.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

The Bus Éireann family portal has now closed for applications and payments. Bus Éireann will now assess all applications and payments received and plan for routes and services for the 2025/26 school year. Routes may be altered or extended depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

Once routes have been finalised, Bus Éireann will assign tickets for each school transport service. Tickets will begin to issue in mid-July and will continue to issue throughout July and August. Families who are unsuccessful in obtaining a seat will be notified via email and a refund will issue.

Parents may still apply for school transport following this date, but as their application is late they may not secure a seat on a service and will not be considered for a remote area grant.