Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I strongly support the points made by the two previous speakers. It is unthinkable we would debate a schools admission Bill and not address section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act. That is the primary means by which children are discriminated against in the school system and the notion of taking the Bill without addressing that section is just laughable. I tabled an amendment to provide for the amendment of section 7(3)(c), but it has been ruled out of order. I would like to challenge that ruling, which I do not accept. I have been in touch with the secretariat and was told that it had been ruled out order under Standing Order 154, but that does not stand up. The Standing Order states: "It shall be an instruction to all committees to which Bills may be committed that they have power to make such amendments therein as they shall think fit, provided that such amendments be relevant to the provisions of the Bill and are not in conflict with the principle of the Bill as read a second time". Amendment No. 181 in my name would meet that requirement. I do not know the basis on which, with others, it has been ruled out of order, but I am challenging the ruling because my strong view is that my amendment would be in order.