Professor John O'Brennan:

It depends whether the school in question has a politics and society curriculum. The number of schools in which it is being offered is increasing all the time. It is only about five years or so in existence.

It depends, to some extent on the initiative of the teachers involved, and some are committed in different ways. In some cases it is about relationships that are established with MEPs and other groups that facilitate this. I do not think there is any one path through which it takes place. There is also probably a class issue in that some schools are just better positioned to be able to afford to bring their students. This is why I suggest the Government should provide a subsidy as much as possible to try to subvent particularly poorer households where their children might otherwise not get a chance.