Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

There has been no change in the policy of supporting fee paying schools. Since the foundation of the State all parties and all Governments have supported such schools, largely to protect choice and the ethos of minorities. The change of policy in Fine Gael surprises me. Despite the operation of the same policy for 80 years, Fine Gael has now decided that schools should not receive moneys for day-to-day expenses or refurbishment and building costs if they charge fees.

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