Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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516. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a case (details supplied) of a local school can be reviewed; if she will review the issues highlighted with regard to eligibility for DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55334/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. The Minister for Education and Youth is determined to close the performance gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and introduce more innovative solutions to tackle disadvantage. The new DEIS plan will be published this year and will include a DEIS plus scheme.

The plan will set out the Department of Education and Youth’s strategic vision, goals, and objectives to tackle educational disadvantage in all schools. The plan will focus on improving disadvantage in all schools, developing more innovative approaches to tackle educational disadvantage and working towards a more flexible system of support to ensure that schools can receive the right support at the right time. Schools will not be required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme. The process will be evidence-informed using available data.

Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools reaching approximately 260,000, with an annual investment of over investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027 to introduce the DEIS plus scheme and support the implementation of the new DEIS plan.

Any future expansion of the programme and overall allocation of resources will be considered within the context of the new DEIS plan, which will be published at the end of the year.