Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I would not like to be up against the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in the classroom.

The Minister is right. It was a welcome and positive contribution from the Catholic hierarchy, effectively putting forward a White Paper in terms of the way forward. Will the Minister not agree that the Government and his Department have failed to put forward a similar vision in terms of new patronage models? The last paragraph of his reply refers to a one day conference but will he not agree this issue is too big for a one day conference and that what we need is a national forum on education where all of the issues concerning management, control, patronage and governance could be examined in a much more public way than is currently the case? I ask the Minister to reconsider the proposal for a one day conference because it is not acceptable that a one day conference that would examine these fundamental questions would be organised by the Department.

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