Extra supports for Carlow school discussed in the Dail this week

A Kilkenny TD has raised the issue of Deis Status for a school in Carlow in the Dail this week.

Sinn Fein’s Kathleen Funchion has asked the Education Minister about the status for Scoil Mhuire Lourdes Girls’ School.

The status brings additional supports to schools in disadvantaged areas where the students educational opportunities are affected.

Deputy Funchion says the school needs more supports:

“Minister my question is in relation to Scoil Mhuire Lourdes school, it’s a girls school in Tullow in County Carlow regarding its Deis status, there additional school accommodation application to expand facilities to support their learning and the reason that Scoil Mhuire Lourdes Girls School does not have an ASD class and what measures are proposed to rectify this problem?”

Answering for the Education Minister Fine Gael’s Josepha Madigan says the Deis system is being reviewed and the Tullow school will be assessed again then:

“This new identification model, the criteria is at present being worked out, obviously we will look at socio-economic reason, the fact that it is an all girls school, I heard what you said about a lot of lone parents in the area and a lot of other challenges that they endure on a daily basis and all of that will be taken into account.”