The programme for Government strongly supports children in national schools. More than 5,000 people took to the streets of Tipperary town last Saturday. Five national schools there came together last year to apply to the then Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, who is seated beside the Tánaiste and might be able to whisper an answer to him, for DEIS status but their applications were denied. The shutting out of those schools is of huge concern. The Pobal index of deprivation indicates that they should be granted that status. They met all of the requirements and should have been given this status but it was refused. What does the Tánaiste and the Government have against Tipperary town and its people in terms of jobs, infrastructure and, more importantly, its young people? We have excellent principals, boards of management and parents councils and good people eager to learn but they want a fair crack of the whip. All they want is fairness and to be granted DEIS status like many other schools throughout the country.

I call Deputy Cahill on the same matter.

The five primary schools in Tipperary town were not given a satisfactory answer regarding why they did not attain DEIS status. In light of the problems and social issues in the town, the schools should have no difficulty whatsoever acquiring that status. I ask the new Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, to re-examine the applications by the schools in Tipperary town to see if they can acquire DEIS status.

The criteria for DEIS status are applied equally across the country.

The schools met the criteria.

It is decided on the basis of CSO statistics on issues such as deprivation, single parents and so on.

All of the criteria were met.

This is not a political decision. It involves criteria that are implemented evenly across the country and schools either qualify or they do not.