Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for attending and supplying their presentations in advance of the meeting, as well as their comments today.

With regard to gaelscoileanna and education through Irish, has there been engagement with or a response from the Department? Do the delegates believe it was an oversight on its part in not including the opportunity for an interview? Obviously, if we are going to be able to provide students who have been educated through Irish at primary school level the same opportunity at secondary school level, it would not make sense. It is a big weakness in the Bill. Have the delegates had feedback on any engagement they might have had with the Department on the issue?

The representative of Inclusion Ireland pointed to the need for therapeutic supports, particularly in mainstream schools. How is this working out? What is the current position? Obviously, there are significant issues with admission to schools, regardless of the set-up proposed in the Bill. Will the representative elaborate further on the current position and the gaps in the system that are making it very difficult for students to be admitted to mainstream schools owing to the fact that therapeutic supports are not available to meet their particular needs?

Ms Harmon from Pavee Point Travellers Centre spoke about principals taking on responsibility for ensuring students progress and have a school to which they can transfer. Will she elaborate further on this point? It would be quite a responsibility. She has identified a gap in that respect, but will she elaborate on her thoughts on it?

Ms Donnelly of Atheist Ireland said opting out was not enough. Will she elaborate on her overall proposal, other than entirely changing the system for providing an education? Obviously, people who wish to have their children educated in denominational schools of their chosen faith would say they want to have a right to do this. Ms Donnelly's point is that she has an equal right in that regard. There is obviously a gap because the vast majority of schools are denominational. How does she propose to address that difficulty for people with a secular philosophy?

Mr. Whyte from Presentation College, Cork made the point that children of past pupils should be able to enrol. Pavee Point Travellers Centre has pointed to how it believes this discriminates particularly against the children of Travellers who would not have been pupils in a school previously. What are his reflections or comments on this point?