The primary school staffing schedule is a long-standing feature of the primary allocation system which ensures fairness and transparency in the allocation of mainstream class teachers in primary schools across the country. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided in an individual school is a staffing schedule for the relevant school year and the number of pupils enrolled on the previous 30 September. Staffing arrangements for primary schools for 2026-27 are set out in Circular 0025/2026. Having an enrolment of 479 pupils in September 2024, Bunscoil Chríost Rí has a current mainstream staffing of an administrative principal and 20 mainstream teachers. The information given to me is that school enrolment fell to 453 pupils last September. The Deputy mentioned the figure was 455. Perhaps that is something we might check. This enrolment allows for mainstream staffing comprising an administrative principal and 18 classroom teachers for the 2026-27 school year, with two fewer teachers than are currently in place. The school also has additional supporting staff comprising nine special education teachers, one English as an additional language, EAL, teacher and three special class teachers under the rural DEIS and non-DEIS home school community liaison initiative. The school has been allocated a shared home school liaison teacher based on enrolment for the 2026-27 school year. The Department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment and has prioritised enhanced English as an additional language support. An online portal system was introduced in the current year to allow schools to apply in a timely and efficient manner. Following the application process, Bunscoil Chríost Rí has been informed of an EAL allocation of ten hours per week for the 2026-27 school year in addition to the permanent EAL post that is in place within the school. This is less than the current EAL allocation and corresponds with an increase in the overall enrolment in the school enrolments of pupils with EAL needs. As I understand it and as it is presented to me, the school is not losing five teachers in the 2026-27 school year. The staffing arrangements, and I would be very strong on this, which have been long-standing, include arrangements for an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain published criteria. The primary staffing appeals board meets three times a year. The board met in May and will meet again later this month. It is important that the school, if it wishes, should submit an appeal on the staffing allocations to the appeals board with all the necessary supporting information it can have from the school cohort and the school community as well. This will be a crucial meeting of the appeals board in June this year to try to ensure we have everything in place for September insofar as possible. However, I encourage the school to make sure an appeal is submitted. The application forms are available on Circular 0025/2026. It is important we have sight of that and that a decision is made by the appeals board which, as the Deputy knows, is independent of the Department. Information should be submitted as soon as possible.

Sentiment score: 0.24

We have a huge level of investment in terms of teachers. The past number of years have seen more than 5,000 extra teachers within the school system. That is little comfort to Bunscoil Chríost Rí. In order that we are all understanding this, there is no reduction in SNAs from 2025 to 2026 or from 2026 to 2027. The Deputy will be aware of the documentation that was launched last week on the SNA workforce development plan, the redeployment plan and the new circular. That is setting out our roadmap for SNA employment. There will be no cliff edge in relation to schools or school communities into the future. It is important to understand that. In regard to the point on the numbers, my information is 453.

Sentiment score: 0.05

The Deputy mentioned 455.

Sentiment score: 0.00

I believe my information is correct in relation to that. I take the Deputy's point on the numbers and the acceptance of the school community. We have put in a huge amount. Bunscoil Chríost Rí has a huge reputation as a massive school within the Turner's Cross area, as the Deputy outlined. Any information that is submitted to the Department in terms of an appeal will be adjudicated on. I know the school is facilitating and working with a diverse community as well. It is important to say that this policy documentation has not shifted the goalposts in a dramatic fashion. These are long-standing issues we have had. It is important that if the school, and I believe it will, submits an appeal, that appeal will be adjudicated on in a timely fashion to ensure that certainty is brought to the school community in advance of September 2026.

Sentiment score: 0.25

I compliment the way both Deputies work across political divides in terms of education and I will continue to liaise with them. We might not turn water into wine at every juncture but we certainly will try. Addressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can achieve their full potential are key priorities for me and the Minister for Education and Youth. The introduction of DEIS plus represents the most significant expansion of targeted education support since the establishment of the DEIS programme. The scheme is designed to provide enhanced supports to a small cohort of schools with the highest concentration of children and young people experiencing persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. The Deputies raised the issue of St. Dominic's National School in Tallaght. I acknowledge the strong work being undertaken by the principal, all of the team and the wider school community in supporting pupils and families. It is important to stress that although the school was not identified under the DEIS plus programme, it does not mean that disadvantage is not present within the school community. St. Dominic's National School remains a DEIS urban band 1 school and continues to receive significant range of supports available under the programme, including reduced class sizes, enhanced staffing supports and full home school liaison provision. DEIS plus schools were identified using a nationally consistent and evidence-based model developed using pupil-level administrative data and a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. These indicators include deprivation level, Traveller and Roma identity and children residing in State-funded emergency accommodation and international protection accommodation. The model examines enrolment data across the previous three academic years to ensure consistency and fairness in its application nationally. I recognise that the local school communities can experience significant and complex challenges that are deeply felt by people's families and staff, however, in establishing a national scheme such as DEIS plus, it is essential that the same evidence-based criteria are applied consistently across all schools to ensure fairness and equality of treatment throughout the education system. The scheme is intentionally highly targeted. Schools that have been included in the scheme have been assessed as having a concentration of disadvantage significantly above the national average and at the highest level nationally. While many similar schools clearly serve children and families experiencing disadvantage, the DEIS plus programme is targeted at those with the very highest concentration of students at risk of education disadvantage. As the Deputies will be aware, the appeal process is currently under way for schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS plus identification model to their enrolment data. St. Dominic's National School has submitted an appeal under the process and I would be very mindful that it is not appropriate for me to comment on the specifics of any individual school appeal while the process remains ongoing. All appeals are subject to a technical review process in line with the criteria set out by the Department with independent oversight provided through an independent appeals panel. It is anticipated that the schools will be informed of the outcome of the appeals process by the end of June 2026. The Department and I 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.

Sentiment score: 0.08

I accept that engagement by all political representatives with regard to school communities in disadvantaged areas is hugely important because education is a fundamental. It can determine the trajectory of someone whether he or she is in a disadvantaged area or elsewhere. I do understand that the Deputies have a real and genuine engagement within the education sector. Although St. Dominic's National School was not identified for inclusion in DEIS plus, that does not diminish in any way the challenges faced by the school communities and the outstanding work done there by the school leadership and all of the team working in the school and dealing with disadvantage. Due to the appeals process, the Deputies will understand that it is important for me not to comment on that process right now and I do not intend to. The criteria set down very early on aimed to make sure that we were targeting the most disadvantaged communities across the country. The resources we were putting in - there are significant resources in DEIS plus and indeed the entire DEIS programme - are to ensure that disadvantage is dealt with within the communities. A number of Deputies have raised issues about the criteria but they are transparent. Deputy Ahern spoke about them not reflecting some of the things that are outside of them but, in the first instance, it is important that the appeals process is dealt with and that it is brought to a conclusion as early as possible. We are hopeful that decision will be taken by the end of June 2026, so the school will have certainty for next year. I do understand that there is disadvantage in other communities that has not been captured but we are targeting resources in the best possible way.

Sentiment score: 0.26