Next weekend, many of us will be at the 1916 Easter commemorations honouring those who fought and died for Irish freedom. The Proclamation references "cherishing all the children of the nation equally". Just last week, I met the local management committee for school completion at Blakestown Community School. Like all school completion committees, it works with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in our communities. It has not had an increase in funding in years, with larger numbers of students leading to effective cuts every year. Yesterday, the Government announced the DEIS plus scheme, a new set of additional plans and funding for schools in very disadvantaged communities. The feedback I have got from schools is one of utter shock and dismay. One school has been selected for DEIS plus for the entire Dublin 15 area. Rath Dara Community College is a post-primary school that is a stone's throw away from the only primary school that was selected, Ladyswell National School, but it is not on the list. Blakestown Community School and Scoil Mhuire, which are both DEIS schools, did not make it. Is this just a box-ticking exercise to claim the Government is doing something for disadvantaged students? If not, will the Minister commit to revisiting the allocation? At the end of the day, it is not just Dublin 15. There are communities all over that are absolutely baffled as to how their local schools were not selected for DEIS plus.

Any local TD will always have a view that their constituency should or should not receive additional things.

It is one school. One.

Hang on a second. The Deputy used very emotive language when he asked whether this is "a box-ticking exercise". Let me be very clear that as of yesterday, for the very first time in the history of this State we now have a DEIS plus programme. I do not usually do this, but I remember Aodhán Ó Ríordáin looking for this when he was in this House. He is now Labour Party MEP for Dublin. This is something that has been called for across this House for a long time.

Absolutely.

The former education Minister, Deputy McEntee, worked on it, as did the current Minister, Deputy Naughton. This Government delivered it yesterday. There are 121 schools - 96 primary schools and 25 post-primary schools - that will get enhanced support. They are the most disadvantaged of the disadvantaged, factually. This is a start. It is an important start that will make a real difference in tackling educational disadvantage. There will be more than 400 additional roles, 350 extra teaching posts benefiting 700 schools nationwide and the expansion of the home school liaison programme to 130 additional schools. The Deputy should please continue to advocate for more schools in his community-----

What were the criteria?

-----but he should not be so populist.

What were the criteria?

Sinn Féin should not be opposing for the sake of opposing. This is a really positive development.

It is not about opposing.

It is a really positive development.

I ask the Tánaiste to withdraw that. This is not about opposing.

Some 700 schools will benefit overall and 121 will get enhanced supports. It is not box-ticking; it is transformational.

Will you publish the criteria as to how these schools were selected?

The criteria are very clear.

They are not.

Do not try to taint a programme that has so much scientific support behind it in terms of educational advantage.