Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 487 of 12 November 2025, if the new DEIS strategy has been published; the options now available to a school (details supplied) in order for the school’s application to be allocated DEIS band 1 status to be re-considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6724/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tackling education disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a key priority for the Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools reaching approximately 260,000 students with an annual investment of €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16.5 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027 to introduce the DEIS Plus scheme and support the implementation of the new DEIS Strategy which will be published in quarter 1, 2026.

The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. Schools that were included in the most recent expansion of the programme in 2022 were those with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage as identified through the refined DEIS identification model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme, and the model was applied fairly and equally to all schools. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie.

Schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme based on their standardised disadvantage score. Schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage scores are included in the DEIS programme, with those urban primary schools having the very highest levels of disadvantage being assigned Urban Band 1.

The Minister is committed to addressing the performance gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and introducing innovative solutions to address disadvantage. 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 will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy which will be published in quarter 1, 2026.