13 schools in Carlow to benefit from major investment

Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor has welcomed a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme that will see the programme extended to an additional 310 schools, with an additional €32 million investment.

Deputy Murnane O’Connor commented, “I am delighted to see this - largest-ever - single investment in the DEIS programme and the addition of 310 new schools - with 13 in Carlow included.

“The DEIS programme is an internationally recognised, proven programme that provides targeted resources to schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage to supports their students to have an equal opportunity to achieve their potential in education. 

“This investment will provide for in the region of 160 additional primary teaching posts, approximately 100 additional home school community liaison posts, additional guidance and leadership posts as well as DEIS grants and enhanced book grant funding.”

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For the first time since 2017 the DEIS programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. In addition 37 existing DEIS schools are being reclassified and eligible for increased supports.

Currently 884 schools and over 180,000 students benefit from the DEIS programme. As a result of this announcement from September 2022, this will increase to 1,194 schools and over 240,000 students.

Schools in the DEIS programme avail of a range of targeted supports aimed at tackling educational disadvantage, including additional classroom teaching posts, home-school  community liaison coordinator posts, DEIS grant funding and access to the School Completion Programme.

Schools have been identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics-based model which uses information from the Department of Education enrolment databases and the Pobal HP Deprivation index.

Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.

The Carlow TD added:

“This announcement achieves the Programme for Government commitment by Fianna Fáil to complete the new DEIS identification model and to extend DEIS status to schools serving the highest numbers of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage.

“The successful delivery of this goal means that our school system is open and welcoming for all students, regardless of background, and that in particular, students at risk of educational disadvantage will be supported to achieve their full potential. It is my intention to keep working towards achieving that vision.”

From September 2022, these schools will access all supports under the programme to match their respective band. Schools are assigned to the DEIS bands based on the location of the school and their level of concentrated educational disadvantage.

The full list of schools that will be joining the DEIS programme from September 2022 is available here.

Information for schools on the refined DEIS identification model is available here