Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

394. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the new DEIS plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56816/25]

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

Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to realise 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 Government policy aimed at addressing concentrated educational disadvantage at school level.

The new DEIS plan will be published before the end of the year, and it will include the DEIS Plus scheme. The new DEIS 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 is focused on developing more innovative approaches to addressing educational disadvantage and working towards a more flexible system of support to ensure that schools can receive the right support at the right time. This will involve a more dynamic resource allocation model where levels of resources more accurately follow the levels of need identified by objective 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.