Eoghan Harris (Independent)

The Seanad was established to protect minorities. It is appropriate that a deputation is discussing with the Taoiseach the matter of fee-paying Protestant schools. I know there is a delusion among certain sections of the Catholic bourgeoisie that Church of Ireland fee-paying schools are full of Ross O'Carroll-Kelly type characters. That is not the case; they are full of poor Protestants. Many of my friends from among the Catholic bourgeoisie have never met a poor Protestant. However, I have met many. Plenty of them are scattered throughout rural areas and they need the support of the fee-paying system. It would be pathetic for the Seanad which was set up to protect that minority not to speak with one voice today and I hope it will so do. It is so squalid and sordid to try to save €2.8 million which would hardly keep FÁS executives in fags for a day at the expense of scattered rural communities. Let us have an end to this proposal. Members should commend the two bishops. It is good to see the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin not keeping his head down, as they kept their heads down for long enough. The Protestant population fell from 10% to 3% between 1920 and 1990; at the same time the Catholic population in Northern Ireland rose by 10%. These figures are highly visible to people in Northern Ireland. Before this squalid mess is taken up by bad elements in Northern Ireland, let us have an end to it. Moreover, I remind the House that every Minister who got into trouble in Ireland started off by asking for the opinion of the Attorney General on something.