Educational Disadvantage
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Michael Moynihan (FF), Cork North-West

I compliment the way both Deputies work across political divides in terms of education and I will continue to liaise with them. We might not turn water into wine at every juncture but we certainly will try.
Addressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can achieve their full potential are key priorities for me and the Minister for Education and Youth. The introduction of DEIS plus represents the most significant expansion of targeted education support since the establishment of the DEIS programme. The scheme is designed to provide enhanced supports to a small cohort of schools with the highest concentration of children and young people experiencing persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.
The Deputies raised the issue of St. Dominic's National School in Tallaght. I acknowledge the strong work being undertaken by the principal, all of the team and the wider school community in supporting pupils and families. It is important to stress that although the school was not identified under the DEIS plus programme, it does not mean that disadvantage is not present within the school community. St. Dominic's National School remains a DEIS urban band 1 school and continues to receive significant range of supports available under the programme, including reduced class sizes, enhanced staffing supports and full home school liaison provision.
DEIS plus schools were identified using a nationally consistent and evidence-based model developed using pupil-level administrative data and a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. These indicators include deprivation level, Traveller and Roma identity and children residing in State-funded emergency accommodation and international protection accommodation. The model examines enrolment data across the previous three academic years to ensure consistency and fairness in its application nationally. I recognise that the local school communities can experience significant and complex challenges that are deeply felt by people's families and staff, however, in establishing a national scheme such as DEIS plus, it is essential that the same evidence-based criteria are applied consistently across all schools to ensure fairness and equality of treatment throughout the education system.
The scheme is intentionally highly targeted. Schools that have been included in the scheme have been assessed as having a concentration of disadvantage significantly above the national average and at the highest level nationally. While many similar schools clearly serve children and families experiencing disadvantage, the DEIS plus programme is targeted at those with the very highest concentration of students at risk of education disadvantage.
As the Deputies will be aware, the appeal process is currently under way for schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS plus identification model to their enrolment data. St. Dominic's National School has submitted an appeal under the process and I would be very mindful that it is not appropriate for me to comment on the specifics of any individual school appeal while the process remains ongoing. All appeals are subject to a technical review process in line with the criteria set out by the Department with independent oversight provided through an independent appeals panel. It is anticipated that the schools will be informed of the outcome of the appeals process by the end of June 2026.
The Department and I continue to engage with school communities and education stakeholders regarding the implementation of the DEIS strategy to 2035 and the range of supports available to schools serving communities experiencing educational disadvantage.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10