Urgency needed on DEIS Plus implementation
- No detail from Minister on rollout
Labour’s Education Spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD has welcomed the announcement of DEIS Plus but raised serious concerns about the lack of detail behind the plan. Speaking in response to the Minister’s announcement, Deputy Kenny warned that without a clear timeline and adequate funding, the programme risks being little more than a headline rather than a meaningful intervention for schools in disadvantaged areas.
Deputy Kenny said:
“This announcement will bring great comfort to students, families, teachers, and principals in our most disadvantaged areas. These schools have been waiting years for additional resources, and DEIS Plus has the potential to make a real difference. My colleague Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has been campaigning for this programme since 2022, and we in Labour are delighted to see the Government finally take action on an initiative that school staff first began pushing for back in 2017. This is a hard-won victory for those working on the front lines of education in disadvantaged communities.
“However, I have serious concerns about the substance of the announcement. The Minister has provided no timeline for implementation and has given no indication of the budget available. That is deeply worrying. Schools and children cannot wait in anticipation – they need these resources now. The Minister must urgently clarify when DEIS Plus will be introduced and how it will be funded.”
Deputy Kenny pointed to the stark findings of an ESRI report published this morning, which shows that school attendance, wellbeing, and engagement have worsened by over 50% each year since COVID-19.
“This report is a wake-up call. The decline in attendance is directly linked to the lack of support staff in our schools. Many schools are crying out for therapists and mental health supports yet they are continuously left waiting. If the Government is serious about tackling educational disadvantage, it must provide the necessary staff and resources to support students properly.
“For years, schools in our most deprived areas have been forced to fight for the bare minimum. The announcement of DEIS Plus is welcome, but it cannot become another empty promise. The Government must follow through with real investment. If we want to keep students engaged in education for as long as possible, we must act now. Schools need funding, they need resources, and they need them immediately.”