I also want to be associated with the mark of respect to the family of the late Seán Rooney who died serving the peace process in the Army. This is very sad day.

I want to raise a point about the four schools in Ardee, three of which have DEIS status. One of them, Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire, had its appeal for DEIS status refused. This outcome means the 288 girls in this school are excluded from additional education supports and, indeed, school meals. These benefits apply to the other primary schools in the town of Ardee. Indeed 60%, six out of ten, of these girls have siblings in other DEIS schools. The appeal of the school has been turned down, but can a way be found to review this decision? It seems to me and to the families that there appears to be a gender inequality somewhere, which may be unintended but is there nevertheless, whereby these 288 girls are denied what all the boys in the primary schools in Ardee have.

As the Deputy will be aware, one in four schools now have DEIS status. This number was significantly increased in the budget. There was also significant expansion of the hot school meals programme both to primary and post-primary schools, along with a number of other different initiatives to help parents who have schoolgoing children.

On DEIS, an appeal mechanism is there and I understand the school the Deputy is referring to has already appealed. I can bring this matter to the attention of the Department if the Deputy wishes speak to me on it afterwards.