As the Deputy is aware, the review of the DEIS programme is under way and it is my intention that a new action plan for educational inclusion will be published by the end of this year. I advise the Deputy that the current DEIS scheme has not been suspended but that changes to the current programme will not be made pending the outcome of the review.
The current DEIS action plan was published in 2005 and now provides support to 836 schools serving a total of 169,500 pupils. There are 103,000 at primary level and 66,000 students at second level. The DEIS programme has been implemented in partnership with schools and other Departments and agencies such as Tusla, which manages the home-school liaison and school completion programmes, as well as the Department of Social Protection, which is responsible for the school meals programme.
The review covers all aspects of DEIS, including the identification process for the inclusion of schools in the programme - the concern raised by the Deputy - the range and impact of different elements of the school support programme and the scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and agencies to improve effectiveness. As part of the review, targeted measures in several key areas will be considered. These include supporting school leadership, networks and clusters for DEIS teachers and schools, teaching methodologies, exploring ways in which the work of schools could be better integrated with other State supports within the community, and in consultation with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, making greater use of the home-school-community liaison. My intention is that innovative measures such as these, which are shown to work well in improving results for disadvantaged children and students, can form pilot schemes under a new schools support programme.
The number of additional schools to be included in the new programme will be determined by a new identification process for this purpose which is currently in development. Subject to Government approval, it is intended to begin to implement actions arising from an updated plan in the 2017-18 school year.