Ireland Invests €48 Million in Supports for Disadvantaged Schools with New DEIS Plus Scheme
Over 121 of Ireland’s most disadvantaged schools are set to receive enhanced support, including additional staffing, through the newly launched DEIS Plus scheme, commencing this September. The initiative prioritizes addressing mental health and wellbeing for students in schools with the highest levels of need.
Addressing Trauma and Adversity
The Department of Education and Youth highlighted that the scheme responds to the significant number of children enrolled in these schools who have experienced trauma and adversity. Each of the 121 schools will receive an additional teaching post dedicated to coordinating the promotion of mental health and wellbeing [RTE].
DEIS Plus and the Ten-Year Strategy
As a Programme for Government commitment, DEIS Plus will initially extend to 96 urban primary schools and 25 urban post-primary schools. A broader ten-year DEIS strategy aims to add over 400 staff members, including 350 extra teaching posts, across DEIS Plus schools and other DEIS and non-DEIS schools. These positions will focus on strengthening schools’ capacity to support at-risk students [gov.ie].
Expanded Counseling and Wellbeing Support
The plan includes 30 additional guidance counsellor posts, with guidance counselling services now available at the primary school level for the first time. Twenty-five wellbeing practitioner posts will be allocated to primary schools within the scheme, with plans for expansion to post-primary schools in the future [RTE].
Data-Driven School Selection
Schools included in the DEIS Plus scheme were identified using a new data-driven model. This approach follows recommendations from a recent OECD report on Ireland’s DEIS system, advocating for a more data-informed methodology [RTE]. Additional weighting was given to schools serving vulnerable populations, including homeless children, Traveller and Roma children, and those in direct provision.
Additional Supports and Funding
The initiative also encompasses 33 additional school leadership posts, enhanced grant funding for the 121 schools, and increased funding for youth services near post-primary schools. The Department of Education and Youth has allocated an additional €48 million to the DEIS Plus scheme and the wider DEIS strategy, describing it as “a significant step up in addressing educational inequality across Ireland” [RTE].
Regional Distribution of DEIS Plus Schools
Sixty-three of the newly designated DEIS Plus primary schools are located in Dublin, with 17 post-primary schools also in the capital. Eight Limerick primary schools and eight Cork primary schools have been designated, along with six in Louth and three in Galway. Four Cork post-primary schools, and one each in Limerick, Longford, Louth, and Galway, are also included [RTE].
Positive Reception from School Leaders
Principals have welcomed the strategy. Kevin Shortall of St Aidan’s Community School described it as “a great tailored, appropriate, and authentic response.” Conor McCarthy, principal of Tallaght Community National School, stated the scheme is “really going to be transformational” for schools, providing crucial support for children who have experienced trauma and offering resources for parents to support their children’s education [RTE].
The scheme is expected to be fully implemented by the start of the next school year in September.
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