Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I apologise for being late and missing the contributions of the witnesses but I have read the written statements that were submitted beforehand. I have a couple of questions. Ar dtús, maidir le hionchur an Fhorais Pátrúnachta, aontaím gur chóir tús áite a thabhairt do dhaltaí na nGaelscoileanna. Sílim go bhfuil riachtanas ann go ndéanfadh Rialtas na tíre agus polaiteoirí na dTithe uaisle seo gach iarracht chun gur féidir linn an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn ar fud an oileáin seo. Cabhróidh an réamhamharc seo le coincheap an tumoideachais agus le todhchaí na teanga sa lá ata inniu ann mar theanga náisiúnta agus mar mhionteanga de chuid na hEorpa.

I have a general question for all the witnesses. If we could find agreement, what do they believe should be the top three criteria for admissions to schools that are oversubscribed? I would be interested to hear the variance in opinions. Is it linear distance, siblings, place on waiting lists, religion, etc.? I have a question for the Catholic Primary School Management Association, CPSMA, on the survey referenced in the submission. Of the 72 schools that did not complete the survey, were those schools concentrated in one area or spread across the greater Dublin area? Of the 1.2% of applications - approximately 80 - that were refused over issues relating to a baptism certificate, were those applications concentrated in a specific area? This is an issue that is regularly raised with me by parents in the constituency of Dublin-Rathdown. How is the ESRI's 20% figure for oversubscription explained? It is a huge difference. Do we know what difference in the methods used in gathering the data might have given such results?