Today\u2019s announcement that over 121 of the country’s most disadvantaged schools are to receive additional supports, including hundreds of new staff, under the DEIS+ scheme is timely, according to Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins.<\/p>\n
Deputy Cummins said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI am delighted to finally see progress on the DEIS+ scheme – it is particularly encouraging to see several schools in Dublin South Central included, as well as schools I have had the privilege of working with previously.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis investment will be a major asset to those school communities and, most importantly, to the students they serve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a huge level of need out there. Many children are dealing with complex challenges, including poverty, trauma, and intergenerational disadvantage. Ensuring that schools are properly equipped to support these students is absolutely essential. DEIS+ has the potential to make a real and lasting difference in their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving said that, I have been contacted by a number of schools who have expressed concerns about the application process. There is a lack of transparency around how decisions were made and that is a significant issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cSchools deserve clarity and fairness when it comes to access to vital supports like this.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is crucial that any school that has not been selected has an opportunity to appeal. There are many schools experiencing similar levels of need, and they must not be left behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere seems to be very few schools in rural Ireland included in this programme, which must be addressed by the government. Their voices need to be heard, and there must be a fair process in place to review their cases.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt no point in today\u2019s report is DEIS+ clearly defined – the government must provide clarity on this matter at the nearest possible juncture.<\/p>\n
\u201cOverall, this is a very welcome development, and I look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring. However, we must ensure the scheme is transparent, inclusive, and responsive.\u201d<\/p>\n
March 25th, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today\u2019s announcement that over 121 of the country’s most disadvantaged schools are to receive additional supports, including hundreds of new staff, under the DEIS+ scheme is timely, according to Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins said: \u201cI am delighted to finally see progress on the DEIS+ scheme – it is particularly encouraging to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11586,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[218,581,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-jen-cummins","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n