Ms Antoinette Nic Gearailt:

In the debate over catchment areas, there are two issues here regardless of what entry criteria we have. First, unless adequate school places are available, I do not think it matters what criteria we set down. I would acknowledge that post-primary is different from primary, but much of this debate stems from the fact that there is a shortage of school places in certain areas. Whether we define it by catchment or whatever other criteria, unless there are adequate school places the basic problem will not go away.

While new schools are needed to cope with the shortage of places, I am also conscious of what Senator Gallagher said. At both primary and post-primary level we must also be conscious that, in a effort to provide for diversity around rural Ireland, the problem is quite the reverse. In such areas, schools are struggling to maintain student numbers. By virtue of their settings, however, they are automatically diverse as we stand. Therefore, the issue is not as applicable when we move outside the troubled areas.

The second issue concerns educational provision for a changing Ireland, regardless of school size or what part of the country we are in. The main criterion for entry in many of the 96 community schools is residence in one's local community and attendance in the local feeder schools. I do not think there is a community school in the country that lays down any other criterion, other than that a person is based and living in, as well as coming from, the community.

There will be an issue in future whereby we do have an obligation to provide - as the Secretary-General of the Department said recently - for students of all faiths and none. That is a separate issue that will have to be dealt with. Senator Gallagher mentioned the words "calm" and "considered". We need to plan for that and ask how we can accommodate parents who are quite happy for their children to attend religion classes, and those who want provision. There is a resource implication for that. We must separate the two issues of access to schools and provision. They are areas for two separate discussions.