Nash and O’Dowd seek explanation from Education Minister
When Minister for Education Norma Foley announced a major expansion of the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme on Wednesday several local schools were omitted from band one of the scheme which would have brought them extra staffing and resources.
The schools concerned are St. Joseph’s CBS primary school at Sunday’s Gate; St. Brigid’s & St. Patrick’s, Bothar Brugha and the Presentation primary school on the Ballymakenny Road and their excluson from Band I of the Deis scheme has caused much anger among local TDs.
Labour Party TD Ged Nash has expressed serious concerns over this failure by the Minister saying the elevation of the schools to DEIS Band 1 would have guaranteed additional teachers, an improved pupil/teacher ratio and other additional supports for these schools on an ongoing basis into the future.
“I am bitterly disappointed, as are the hardworking and dedicated school leaders involved, that the Minister Foley’s review will not see formal DEIS Band I status for these schools.
“One of my key objectives when I campaigned for a multi-agency response to gang crime and socio-economic disadvantage in our town was to secure the resources our hard-pressed northside schools need to support and complement the exceptional work of their staff in giving local children the best possible chance of breaking the vicious cycle of disadvantage.
“Thanks to the Geiran Review and political and local mobilisation from schools, we managed to secure resources equivalent to DEIS Band 1 and at least until such time as the formal DEIS review was completed.
“Now we have been told by the Minister that the schools concerned will not be formally placed in Band 1. We are reeling from this announcement and I have asked the Minister to explain to me why these schools are not included. I have asked her to provide me with the evidence base on which she has made this decision and the data sets she has relied on to make this decision. There must be transparency.
“Levels of depravation and disadvantage in the areas served by our local schools is very high. It is beyond me how the Minister has made this decision and how she can stand over it.
“Their formal exclusion from DEIS Band 1 must be explained and urgently reviewed. Our schools and our young people deserve better, and I know that the Drogheda Review Implementation team is also engaging with the Department of Education on this.”
Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD, Fergus O’Dowd says he has requested further information from the Department of Education following their decision.
“Whilst the Minister for Education did provide three additional teachers in June of last year which was a very welcome step, we now need further clarification from the Minister and the Department on the school’s DEIS status going into the future” he said.
“Whilst the recommendation is technically completed in the Drogheda Implementation Plan with regard to the additional teachers, the Geiran report did recommend that the schools be moved from DEIS band 2 to DEIS band 1 and I believe these schools need the additional resources that would come with the redesignation.
“These particular schools provide an invaluable service to our local communities in Drogheda and I want to see that further strengthened.”
“I sought urgent clarity on the situation, and Minister Foley confirmed to me that an appeals process would be put in place in the coming days.
