My Department’s overall annual spend on the DEIS Programme is approximately €125 million. Additional funding is provided by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the School Meals Programme and by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs for the School Completion Programme. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is currently undertaking data analysis with the ultimate aim of facilitating the matching of resources to identified need and to allow us to target extra resources at those schools most in need.
A list of the various supports and resources available to DEIS schools is available on my Department's website at the following link:
https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/deis-supports-to-deis-schools-effective-from-2017-2018-school-year.pdf
The Centre for School Leadership, established in 2015, is charged with the development of a coherent continuum of professional development supports for school leaders. The Centre gives priority to leaders from DEIS schools who apply for the various programmes offered by the Centre including the Excellence through Collaborative Leadership and Management Clustering Initiative and the Principal Coaching Service.
I am aware of the request raised by the organisations referred to by the Deputy. The circulars on leadership and management in both primary and post schools for the 2019/20 school year are currently being finalised and will be available on my Department's website in due course. My Department has committed to revising the Posts of Responsibility table in the leadership and management circulars to take into account retirements during the school year. This ensures that the current level of Posts of Responsibilities are maintained in the school system. The extension of an additional deputy principal in large DEIS schools will be considered as part of my Department's overall Budget process.
