Written answer
Disadvantaged Status
Schools dissatisfied with 2022 DEIS decisions could appeal under Circular 0019/2022; no new expansion is planned, though future resource allocations may be considered.
134. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the process for a school to appeal a negative decision in relation to applications for DEIS status. [74944/26]
Comment on this
Addressing educational disadvantage in all schools remains a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. 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.
All schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their enrolment data, were provided with the opportunity to make an appeal at the time. Circular 0019/2022 outlined the details of the DEIS appeals process.
The DEIS Strategy to 2035, launched in March, sets out a long-term plan to address educational disadvantage in all schools and work to ensure that any child or young person experiencing educational disadvantage is supported through their education journey. It sets out a more flexible model of support so that resources are aligned with each school’s level of need as it changes over time.
The DEIS Strategy implementation plan 2026-2028, under the strategic objective 2.2, sets out to develop an agile resource allocation model to support children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage in all primary and post-primary schools. These actions focus on the continued enhancement of the data available to measure school level disadvantage and for the development of a more flexible resource allocation model that can react to change in school needs and provide the right resources at the right time.
In light of these actions, there is currently no intention to expand the DEIS programme to include new schools. Any future additional allocation of resources under the DEIS programme will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and in the context of available resources.