A total of £5.35 billion will be spent on education as part of the plan.
The education proposals place a heavy emphasis on people who are disadvantaged or living in deprived areas.
But it also includes a £1.6 billion investment in schools at all levels and an additional £550 million for research and development in third-level institutions.
Education measures to combat social exclusion include:
£1,027 million on programmes such as Youthreach, the Vocational Training Opportunity Scheme (these will be amalgamated) and Post-Leaving Certificate courses. In particular, this spending will target people with minimal or no educational qualifications and people who need to upgrade their skills.
£85.75 million to improve literacy among schoolgoers in general and to address literacy and numeracy problems at an early stage. More details of these measures will be included in the forthcoming White Paper on early childhood education.
£75.5 million on programmes to encourage students to complete their second-level education.
£98 million on the school guidance service, aimed particularly at pupils at risk of leaving school early and at Traveller children. This is in addition to a £9.8 million investment in Traveller education.
£95 million on programmes to help students with disabilities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds and mature "second-chance" students achieve third-level qualifications.
£73.8 million for an adult literacy strategy which it is hoped will see 110,000 people taking part in literacy programmes during the life of the plan.
In the more traditional education sector, there will be what the Minister called "the largest ever multi-annual commitment to investment in the improvement of our education infrastructure at primary, post-primary and third level".
This will involve spending £1,600 million on accommodation and equipment at all levels and increasing the number of student places at third level.