I thank the Deputy for his question and for giving me the opportunity to speak to it. 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 this Government. The DEIS plus scheme, commencing this year as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted educational supports since the establishment of the DEIS programme. It is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based supports to a cohort of 121 schools with the very highest concentrations of children and young people experiencing persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. This forms part of a full-year investment of €48 million, with approximately 30,000 children and young people nationally benefiting from inclusion in the scheme. The Deputy has raised questions about specific schools in Limerick city which were not identified for inclusion in the DEIS plus scheme, including Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, St. John's Girls' and Infant Boys' School, St. John the Baptist Boys' National School, Presentation Primary School, CBS Primary School and St. Michael's Infant School. I acknowledge the very real challenges faced by school communities in Limerick and recognise the dedication of the principals, teachers and staff who work daily to support children and families experiencing disadvantage. It is important to stress that where a school is not identified for inclusion in DEIS plus this does not in any way imply that disadvantage does not exist within that school community. DEIS plus schools were identified using a refined, rules-based model built on nationally available pupil-level administrative data. The model draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage, including small-area deprivation, lone parenthood and unemployment, Traveller and Roma identity, and children living in State-funded emergency accommodation or international protection accommodation. These indicators are applied consistently across all schools using enrolment data from the past three years. For inclusion in DEIS plus, the data on the individual school must demonstrate both a level of disadvantage that is significantly above the national average and a very high concentration of pupils from very or extremely disadvantaged areas. Many schools experience real and sustained challenges but still fall outside the threshold required for inclusion in this highly targeted intervention. A school-led application or self-reporting model would introduce inconsistency and inequity, which is why a data-driven and nationally comparable approach is essential. An independent OECD review of the DEIS identification model in 2024 highlighted the strengths of this approach, noting that it is multidimensional, respects GDPR principles and places no administrative burden on schools. When the DEIS plus identification model was applied to the schools referred to by the Deputy in Limerick city, the data reflected disadvantage but not at the level or concentration required for inclusion in the DEIS plus cohort. In applying the same model nationally, a number of schools across Limerick city and county were identified for inclusion under the scheme based on the same objective criteria. Schools in Limerick that are not included in DEIS plus continue to receive significant supports through the DEIS programme. DEIS grant allocations have been reallocated in line with the DEIS plus model with a number of schools mentioned receiving increased funding. In addition to funding adjustments, the Department has reviewed and strengthened home school community liaison provision across the schools referenced by the Deputy with allocations updated under the revised DEIS model to ensure that meaningful supports are in place for families and communities. There is an appeals process for schools not included in the DEIS plus scheme that has now opened and the relevant schools can access full details on gov.ie.

Sentiment score: 0.04

The model nationally did not overlook Limerick. A number of schools across Limerick city and county have been identified for inclusion in DEIS plus based on the same objective criteria. With regard to the appeals process, schools have until 25 May to submit an appeal to the Department for review and they also have the opportunity to update their enrolment data for the years 2023 to 2424, 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 on the Department's POD and P-POD where they identify that the information already provided is not an accurate reflection of their school enrolment for those years. Schools may also request that the application of the model to their existing data be reviewed. That review process will be overseen by an independent appeals board, the members of which are not part of the initial design and implementation of the DEIS plus identification model. When all of the appeals have been processed, the schools will be informed in writing. The data is as good as that on the P-POD and POD but as part of the model, we are looking at unemployment levels and Traveller and Roma identity within these areas. It is based on the Pobal index as well. There will be as periodic reviews of this. My Department is working with the CSO and the ESRI around refining the data. As demographics and data change over the years, this will need to be reviewed as well. Schools will be reassessed periodically as the data sources and techniques are updated and advanced and as demographics change. The identification of schools for inclusion in DEIS plus does consider the presence of that persistent disadvantage but I would advise those schools to appeal as well.

Sentiment score: 0.08