Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 February 2012
40 Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the person who will be undertaking the departmental review of DEIS schools; the criteria that will be used to assess these schemes; when the review will be complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10014/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 11th January, I asked my Department for a report on the impact of the withdrawal of certain posts allocated under previous disadvantaged schemes in DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 primary schools. Due to conflicting and, in some cases, exaggerated numbers of posts being reported as potentially lost to schools it was necessary to obtain clarity with regard to the net effect of a range of factors on teacher allocations in these schools; for example, increasing and decreasing enrolments, the reforms to the existing teacher allocations process and up to date enrolments, all of which contribute to determining the staffing requirement for these schools for 2012/13 school year.
This report was published earlier this week and, on foot of analysis of this report, the Government has agreed to my proposal to retain a total of 235 posts, on a concessionary basis, in DEIS Band 1 and DEIS Band 2 primary schools. My Department's Social Inclusion Unit will now be writing to the schools concerned, and all DEIS Band 1 schools separately, in relation to their staffing allocations for 2012/13 school year.
