DEIS status for Duleek Boys and Girls National School

Duleek Boys and Girls National School have been awarded Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) status.

The announcement paves the way for additional funding for both schools.

Minister Thomas Byrne has welcomed the news. “In practical terms, this announcement means that the Government allocates both schools extra funding and more supports than they previously had.

“The schools will be entitled to a DEIS grant paid based on level of disadvantage and enrolment, access to Home School Community Liaison Services, access to School Meals Programme, access to literacy/numeracy support such as Reading Recovery, Maths Recovery, First Steps, Ready Set Go. There is also additional funding under School Books Grant Scheme and supports for the teachers and principals. These are really important programmes which will help teachers and pupils alike.”

Minister Byrne pointed out that Duleek is a community that has grown rapidly over recent years with the population of the village alone increasing by over 600 people since 2016.

“This Government is committed to ensuring that essential resources such as school places and educational provision goes hand in hand with population growth in Duleek but indeed across county Meath,” he said.

“The DEIS programme is the Department of Education’s main policy initiative to respond to educational disadvantage. The DEIS programme focuses on targeting additional resources to those schools included in the programme to ensure every child has an equal opportunity to achieve their potential.”