Ms Eukaria O'Grady:

This actually is off my own point but relates to that of Mr. McCabe regarding children in care. I used to work in admissions in England for children in care. Senator Power asked how they got priority. When that Act was changed, one of the first things they did when introducing the law pertained to special needs law. While the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, Act for young persons has not yet come into effect, the proposed Bill provides that an education welfare board can direct, in respect of someone who might have a special need. As Mr. McCabe has proved in his report, children in care have special needs in that sense. The majority actually do come under the EPSEN provisions for reasons such as mental illness or things that may have happened. This could be a way of amending the draft Bill quickly to include children in care, which obviously is essential.

As for my own point, I really believe the issue is not ethos and religion, as that is something that can be discussed after admissions. We have an unfortunate position in Ireland, which I believe Deputy Ó Ríordáin noted, which is that historically, religion and education went together. I am aware that in the Stanley letter of 1833 they did not and then everyone pushed for them to be pushed together. However, it is something to be discussed afterwards, because these are voluntary schools, the majority of which are State-funded and that is the anomaly we have. There are 1,700 schools that are stand-alone and 80% to 90% of voluntary schools are State-funded by the taxpayers. The census recorded that the second religion is no religion and this needs to be reflected. It is just a proof of membership of denomination and the religious instruction can then be discussed after admission, because then the human right is respected. Ultimately, the admissions Bill is about children's rights to education and above admissions or schools rights, this is about children's rights to education. It is a human right and as a country, we must show we are doing that.