I want to ask about the DEIS scheme, which is a very important scheme that has huge benefits for many disadvantaged communities. Because of the budget surplus, we have an opportunity to increase the level of support available to communities that missed out on DEIS in the last round, particularly in areas that have taken on a huge number of Ukrainian refugees, like Youghal in east Cork, predominantly due to the Quality Hotel emergency accommodation centre, which has almost 1,000 Ukrainian people in it. These towns need additional support and resources for local schools. I think it would be prudent use of Government resources to help in areas that are most in need.

DEIS schools are extremely important. One in four schools in this country are DEIS at this point and we have a number of different initiatives to support them. For example, we have the hot school meals programme and, as the Deputy knows, there is the free books scheme. If this refers to a particular school in the Deputy’s constituency or county, he can bring that to my attention and I can see if there is a process that we can bring forward for that particular school to apply for DEIS.