An interdepartmental group is being set up to investigate the operation of the DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools.

In her address to the INTO congress, Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan said a review of the DEIS scheme was long overdue.

As well as examining the need for extra funding for disadvantaged areas, “I will put together a technical group to establish what eligibility criteria are now appropriate to re-identify the level of need in schools.”

She said the ESRI, in a report to be published later this week, “have asked whether the scale of additional DEIS funding is sufficient to bridge the gap in resources between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged settings.

“And they challenge Government to really think about the need for joined-up thinking between education and broader social policy, such as housing and healthcare.”

She said when DEIS was launched in 2005, a commitment was given that it would be reviewed after five years. “That has not happened, and it’s about time it did.”

She says she plans to establish an interdepartmental group to consider the roles of different government departments in delivering DEIS “in a joined up way”.

Education stakeholders will be asked for their input in consultations.