Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I do not doubt the Minister's concern in this matter and her statements are welcome but she is the Minister for Education and Science — will she take action? Will the Minister introduce regulations under section 33 of the Education Act, which allow for regulations on the entrance policies of schools? Is the Minister willing to stand by and watch this apartheid take place in the school system? It has been described in The Irish Times today as apartheid by the former principal of a comprehensive school where 10% of students have special educational needs while other schools in the area have no special needs children. What will the Minister do other than telling people what she thinks about it?

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