Budget 2012 provided for the phased withdrawal of approximately 428 posts allocated to some schools under disadvantage programmes prior to the introduction of the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) Initiative in 2005. In January 2012, I asked my Department to report on the net effect, in terms of posts, of this Budget measure on DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 urban primary schools that still had additional posts allocated under disadvantage schemes, pre-dating DEIS. Following on from this analysis of the Budget measure, the Government agreed last week to retain 235 of these posts on a concessionary basis in DEIS Band 1 and DEIS Band 2 primary schools.
As was announced on Budget Day, 20 of the legacy posts being withdrawn will be re-allocated for the purposes of providing the continuous professional development element of the Department's Literacy and Numeracy strategy which also has a focus on tackling disadvantage and is a key commitment in the Programme for Government.