Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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806. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to expand DEIS status to additional schools in areas of disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59034/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Tackling education disadvantage is a key priority for the Minister for Education and Youth. The Minister is committed to narrowing the performance gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and introducing innovative solutions to address disadvantage.

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

The new DEIS Strategy will be published this year, which will include the DEIS plus scheme. The new DEIS Strategy 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.

Any future expansion of the DEIS programme, and overall allocation of resources to tackle educational disadvantage, will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy.