Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

On the new community-type primary schools and the issue of multi-faith, I hope we will see a number of these developments moving next year. In west Dublin we have pilot schemes in place. Work is well under way on that and people are working hard to try to achieve integration in primary schools. Deputy Kenny is aware, as are other Members of the House, of the enormous progress that has been made. Several schools now have more than 20 nationalities and seven or eight religious or faith groups. Integration is taking place at that level. Schools receive additional resources to address class size, language training etc. By and large they are working out. Once there is not over-segregation, they can manage and are managing. I have visited a number of these schools in recent years and they are carrying out their job well.

We have come from a position of having a very small Muslim community. From the various groups and imams to whom I have spoken, I understand the community has grown to something in the region of 40,000 people and that is a considerable challenge. Many of them choose to go to Catholic schools but opt out for religion while many others attend colleges. This is something we will have to work hard at managing. It was easy enough to do it when the numbers were smaller. It is a big challenge for the Department but, in fairness to the imams and community leaders with whom I have had a number of meetings, apart from the one on which I am reporting here, they are very conscious of their role and clear about how they can work with the Department and engage with it to address the issue. This is probably working out also at third level.

This is an issue of which we must be very conscious. We are all familiar with many of the churches involved in the structural dialogue but there are many new ones and it is a question of managing all of these together. A large proportion of the immigrant population is from Africa now and we must try to integrate it into the schools. Both the pupils and their parents have been hugely supportive of doing that but it does require a hands-on effort. The Minister of State with responsibility for integration, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has had a number of meetings with these groups. We have to continue to work very closely with them.

As Deputy Kenny is aware, some groups and organisations have asked about separate schools and curricula. To be honest, I have not been forthcoming on that. I do not see it as being the way forward. We cannot do that. We do not have the resources to go down that road now or in the future. I am a strong believer in integration. This is Ireland and we have an Irish way of life. We will do the best we can to integrate people, to understand them and be considerate and thoughtful about that, and to engage in this process.

Regarding the chances of setting up schools, I do not wish to refer to one group or another but I have been asked by some groups and I have been asked by the politicians in their countries also to provide them but I have not given a shred of support to that. It is not something with which I agree. It is not possible for us to resource it. Only a limited number ask for it anyway. I have rejected it in all cases.

See this speech in context