Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 February 2018
272. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the criteria for entry into the DEIS scheme; if a public consultation on the proposed criteria will be part of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10035/18]
View answer273. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the weighting given to Travellers that are attending schools in the assessment of DEIS eligibility in view of the fact that Travellers have historically had a much lower achievement in school than the population as a whole; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10036/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 273 together. DEIS Plan 2017 was the culmination of more than 18 months of consultation and discourse with education partners and other stakeholders to ensure that identification of schools and future delivery of interventions is fully informed by the practical experience of teachers, parents, students and non-governmental organisations working on behalf of children at risk of educational disadvantage and their families.
The report of the review is available on my Department's website at https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Review-Report.pdf and DEIS Plan 2017, which details the range of actions identified during the review, is available at https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/DEIS-Plan-2017.pdf.
A comprehensive document, explaining the methodology used in the Identification process is available on the Department’s website at https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Identification-Process.pdf
The arrangement for the identification of schools for DEIS are set out in DEIS Plan 2017 and I have no current plans to review these arrangements.
