Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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419. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to urgently review the DEIS categorisation thresholds and ensure that DEIS rural schools are no longer punished for geography rather than need (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37550/25]

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 impact of socio-economic factors on educational outcomes can be different between urban and rural settings and the DEIS resource allocation model takes account of that. While urban and rural disadvantage share many characteristics, such as poverty, unemployment and poor housing conditions, the evidence suggests that disadvantage in a rural context does not have the same impact on educational performance. 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.

My department is committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality, where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. Migrant children and young people in our schools have faced enormous challenges in their lives and are one of the most vulnerable groups of children in Ireland. My department provides a range of supports through the National Educational Psychological Service, English as an additional language teacher allocation and the special education teaching allocation to help resource schools to support children in IPAS accommodation or from Ukraine.

My department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment particularly with the increase of newly arrived students into the country who require support with English as an additional language. The department's policies enable flexible resource allocation, including additional EAL hours and special education teaching positions, to meet these varying needs.

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. Recognising the need to ensure that all children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage should be supported to achieve their potential through education, a key element of that plan will include working towards a more flexible system of supports to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time.