Quinn: Cuts will affect some disadvantaged schools

The Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has said a decision on the cuts to be made to disadvantaged schools will be made after his department carries out an investigation of the impact they will have on services.

This morning, Mr Quinn said Budget cuts to resources for schools on the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools scheme (DEIS) was a mistake.

Now he has moved to clarify the proposed cuts by saying the proposal was to cut resources given to schools in disadvantaged areas prior to the introduction of the DEIS scheme.

When DEIS was introduced, these extra resources remained in place alongside the further allocations available under DEIS.

Minister Quinn said no decisions have yet been made on the matter.

He said: "The DEIS scheme remains intact and will not be altered.

"What will be altered, if there are alterations to be made, will be the reduction in additional posts on top which will affect some of the DEIS schools, but no decision has been made and they won't be made until after all the facts are available to me."