On the 1st March 2021, I announced a package of measures to tackle educational disadvantage. This announcement provided for a one point improvement to the staffing schedule for all Urban Band 1 schools. This included a reduction in the staffing schedule from 22:1 to 21:1 for Urban Band 1 vertical schools and 20:1 to 19:1 for Urban Band 1 junior schools, which was in addition to previously announced one-point reduction for Senior Urban Band 1 schools from 24:1 to 23:1.
DEIS remains this Department’s main policy to tackle educational disadvantage. My Department will spend over €150 million on the programme this year.