204. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update regarding the appeal application for the DEIS+ programme at a school (details supplied). [44865/26]

Addressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government. The new DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year and was launched as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS. DEIS Plus is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based supports to a cohort of 121 schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage, identified through a refined data-based model that draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.

This approach ensures that additional resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact and forms a core element of the wider €48 million full-year investment across both the DEIS Strategy and the DEIS Plus scheme. Approximately 30,000 children and young people attending DEIS Plus schools will benefit from these targeted supports.

As the Deputy is aware, an appeal process is currently underway for schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS Plus identification model to their enrolment data. It would not be appropriate to comment on individual schools or on the status of any individual appeal until that process has concluded. It is anticipated that schools will be informed of the outcomes by the end of June 2026.

The DEIS Strategy to 2035 also acknowledges that students at risk of educational disadvantage are present in all schools. It therefore focuses on improving outcomes, encouraging innovation and ensuring schools can access the right supports when needed.

My department and I will continue to engage with school communities and education stakeholders regarding the implementation of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the range of supports available to schools serving communities experiencing educational disadvantage. Any future allocation of resources will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and in the context of available resources.