Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 July 2016
223. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of expanding the DEIS programme to an additional 10% new schools; and the estimated number of new schools that have opened since the DEIS scheme was last expanded in 2006. [24207/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the review of the DEIS programme is currently underway and it is my intention that a New Action Plan Educational Inclusion will be published by the end of this year.
The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the identification process for the inclusion of schools in the programme, 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.
It should be noted that additional resources in DEIS schools are calculated on the basis of each schools' level of socioeconomic disadvantage. In the absence of accurate information as to the level of disadvantage in schools not participating in DEIS, it is not possible to accurately predict the additional costs referred to by the Deputy.
In relation to current programme there are 836 schools participating in DEIS (646 primary schools and 190 post-primary schools) serving a total of 169,500 pupils costing in the region of €110m provided by my Department with additional supports provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, under the School Completion Programme, and Department of Social Protection under the School Meals Programme in DEIS schools.
In terms of new schools established since the introduction of DEIS in 2006, I can confirm that the relevant numbers are: 99 primary schools (of which 21 were included in the DEIS programme between 2006 and 2009) and 31 post-primary schools.
