Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank both Deputies. I clearly hear the points the Deputies are making and I acknowledge the good faith in which they make those arguments. I also acknowledge that it has always been my intention to work to the best of my capacity and ability with the Deputies here. I am appreciative of the manner in which the Deputies work with me.

On this, I would have to say that there is a body of work to be done in terms of gathering the data. It was a recommendation of the pre-legislative scrutiny report from the committee that an expert group be established to review the impact of the provision and that is a useful first step. I am cognisant of the amount of work that goes in when a school has to devise a new admissions policy, which was done, in fairness, by the schools and has been enacted since September 2021, which means this was the first academic year for that admissions policy to take root.

I am simply asking that we would allow sufficient time for the expert group to meet, for it to have an opportunity to review the cycle of admissions over a period of time, to present that back, and then we will make an informed and adjudicated decision as to how to move forward. That is all I am asking for. I am not taking away from the genuine nature of the arguments and proposals the Deputies make. I am simply saying that it is important that a fully informed factual account is presented to the Department by this expert group so that an appropriate decision can be made. It may well be the decision that the Deputies were advocating for but it is important that the evidence be allowed to be put forward.

It is my proposal that we allow time for the expert group to be established and that the group would specifically examine the impact of the section on school admissions and provide a report detailing the group's findings.