Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022
520. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the reason that two schools in Galway lost their DEIS status in 2022 while the DEIS programme is being expanded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23311/22]
View answerI recently announced that from next September the DEIS programme will be extended to an additional 310 schools. 37 schools will also benefit from additional supports following reclassification. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data now have the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. Circular 0019/2022, outlining the details of the DEIS appeals process, was published on the 30th March 2022? by my Department and is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/7e7ca-deis-identification-2022-appeals-process-for-schools/. All schools were notified of the appeals process. The two schools referred to by the Deputy have both submitted appeals which are currently being processed.
When all appeals have been processed, schools will be informed of the outcome in writing by my Department. It is the Department’s intention that schools will be provided with the outcome promptly to allow schools time to plan for the 2022/23 school year.
