Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how schools in DEIS and other schools at a disadvantage are equipped to provide the full range of leaving certificate courses for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30609/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to provide equity of opportunity to young people at risk of educational disadvantage to achieve their potential through education. My department invests over €180 million annually in supporting schools in the DEIS programme, of which over €20m is allocated to schools by way of a DEIS grant.

This includes a targeted range of supports to 233 post-primary schools included in the programme, an enhanced allocation of leadership posts and guidance posts and access to both the Home School Community Liaison and School Completion programmes. Schools in the DEIS programme are also prioritised for access to the range of professional learning provided by Oide and receive enhanced allocations of the Science Implementation Support Grant and ICT Grant funding to aid schools with purchasing relevant equipment. The free schoolbooks scheme has been extended to all post-primary schools, ensuring that costs of books and materials are not a barrier for students to access subjects.

The DEIS grant should be utilised to attain the targets set in the school's three-year plan across the DEIS themes. It is a matter for the Board of Management of each school to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need.

My department also provides funding to support the upgrading of facilities, such as science laboratories. Applications for the summer works scheme are invited from post-primary schools and are open until the 30th June.

This year, 40 subjects are being formally assessed at Leaving Certificate Established level, in addition to Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) modules. In addition to Leaving Certificate Established and the LCVP Programme, since September 2022, Leaving Certificate Applied students may now also access Leaving Certificate Mathematics and a Leaving Certificate Modern Foreign Language, subject to their school’s timetabling. In such cases, students receive an integrated statement of results from the SEC.

While each school has the autonomy to design their own timetables and decide which subjects and programmes the school will offer based on the educational needs and interests of their students, my department provides additional supports to schools.

In December last year, my department issued €12 million in funding to schools under the Science Implementation Grant. This included a targeted uplift for DEIS schools of an additional 10% on top of their base payment. The grant is intended to support schools as they rollout the revised Leaving Certificate Science subjects.

34% of schools selected to offer one of the two new Leaving Certificate subjects of Drama, Film and Theatre Studies; or Climate Action and Sustainable Development, have DEIS status. This is marginally above the national figure of 32% of all schools which are DEIS schools. Additional teacher allocations and dedicated funding is also provided to ensure all schools could express an interest in offering those subjects on an equitable basis.

The recently announced Senior Cycle Redevelopment Implementation Support Measures commit to considering opportunities for enhanced allocation of Deputy Principal posts at post-primary as part of the development of the DEIS Plus scheme, under the new DEIS plan.

Enhancing student choice by way of subject choice for Senior Cycle is an objective of my department. In its engagement with the post-primary teacher unions, the Department committed to engaging with stakeholders in order to develop a scheme for the implementation of any additional teaching allocations in specific or targeted circumstances starting with the expansion of TY participation, subject to the availability of resources.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to establish a new DEIS Plus Scheme to support schools with the highest level of educational disadvantage to improve educational outcomes, particularly in literacy and numeracy. I am committed to delivering a new DEIS Plan this year to outline my department’s overall approach to tackle educational disadvantage, and the DEIS Plus scheme will be an important part of that plan. I am committed to ensuring that every child is supported in our education system to achieve their full potential.