Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 June 2018
411. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the policy document outlining the procedures relating to DEIS status and the amalgamation of national schools, particularly the process whereby non-DEIS and DEIS schools are amalgamated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25220/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that where school amalgamations occurred comprising of DEIS and non-DEIS schools, the practice has been for DEIS status not to transfer to the newly amalgamated school. However, in accordance with the approach adopted in relation to all such amalgamations, my Department continues to provide additional non-teaching resources in respect of eligible pupils from the former DEIS school by way of continued support for the targeted cohort of pupils as a transitional measure. In the case of a primary school these supports continue to be supplied for 8 years following the amalgamation.
These arrangements in respect of school amalgamations were put in place as an interim measure pending a review of the DEIS programme by my Department. This Review was completed in 2016 and the follow-on updated DEIS Plan was published in early 2017.
The identification of schools for receipt of additional resources under the DEIS programme is informed by a scientific data based model which assesses levels of disadvantage in individual schools based on the pupil cohort of the school.
A detailed document explaining the methodology used in the Identification process is available on my Department’s website at https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Identification-Process.pdf
An update of the DEIS Identification process is currently underway. This will take account of updated school data as provided by schools for the current school year combined with the Pobal HP Index of Deprivation, based on CSO Small Area Population statistics derived from the 2016 National Census. A detailed quality assurance process in respect of this is currently being carried out.
A policy document in relation to the amalgamations of DEIS and non DEIS schools will be developed once the detailed quality assurance process is completed but it is important to note that the aim is to provide the necessary supports so that resources are matched to identified need of the existing pupil cohort.
