Inner city schools 'in desperate need of support' denied DEIS Plus status
Seven schools in Dublin 8 have been excluded from DEIS Plus status - despite a critical need for investment in education in the South-West Inner City.
Sinn Féin Cllr Ciaran Ó Meachair put forward a motion to the South Central Area committee stating he has been left perplexed by the Department of Education's decision to deny schools that are “in desperate need of support” with the enhanced support that comes from the DEIS scheme. He called for an urgent review of their applications and said the issue “raises huge questions about what metrics the Department is using to assess these schools”.
He pointed out the “craziness” that one primary was rejected while the secondary that the same students would be attending was not. “It’s basically the same students. One year they are eligible and another they are not. “It’s another example of Dublin 8 not getting a fair shake,” he said.
The seven schools in the Liberties that did not get DEIS Plus are: St. James' Primary School, James' Street CBS Secondary School. St. Brigid's Primary School, South City CNS, Scoil Treasa Naofa, Presentation Primary School Warrenmount, and Presentation Secondary School Warrenmount. Referencing Dr Barra Roantree's report ‘ A socio-economic analysis of Dublin's South-West Inner City ,’ Cllr Meachair explained that all of these schools require extra support, as Dublin 8 stands out as a consistently deprived area. “Some of these schools are in some of the most challenging parts of the city, if they are not eligible I don’t know what schools are,” he said.
Similarly, Independent Cllr Vincent Jackson tabled a motion expressing “serious concerns” that St Louise De Marillac School, Mary Queen of Angels 1, and Mary Queen of Angels School 2 in the Ballyfermot/Cherry Orchard area had also been denied DEIS Plus status. He said the additional support is needed to ensure children of the area get all the assistance they require.
“We’re dealing with kids with complex educational needs in a lot of instances and we can’t understand why we were excluded from that scheme,” he said. Social Democrats Cllr Lesley Byrne supported the motion and, as a secondary school principal herself at Clogher Road Community College in Crumlin , said it is vital the council advocate for school children. Highlighting the connection between “social deprivation and inequality,” she said even if education falls outside the remit of the council that doesn’t mean they ignore these topics.
“While we don’t have authority over what schools can do, if those in our community are not well funded and well resourced then there’s a knock-on impact around what happens in housing complexes with anti-social behaviour,” she said. “If children in our areas aren’t living in secure, safe housing, if there isn’t good community activity and support, that has a huge impact on what their educational outcomes can be.
“I know on the one hand we don’t have authority over what schools do, but we should be welcoming in delegations, supporting schools that want support. The better schools do - the better our communities can thrive and flourish.”
Dublin City Council has agreed to write to the Department of Education to express their concern over schools in need that have been denied DEIS Plus status.
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