Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I am not certain of that yet; we hope the legal information will be with us within a short period. However, there is a serious difference in terms of the scale of development. It is very easy to build a primary school, but for a second level school one must consider the scale of the development, the range of the curriculum and subject choice. A given second level school must have an inclusive curriculum and I must be satisfied in the first instance that there are not enough places in existing schools. I could hardly be expected in these strained financial times to build new schools where there is spare capacity. I will take all relevant matters into account in respect of any future development.

The answer to whether I have finally decided on the application of Educate Together in respect of second level patronage is no. I still await legal advice. When I receive that advice, I will examine the two applications before me, one of which is from Lucan and the other from Waterford city. I will examine them to establish if they stand on merit and whether new patronage is warranted. The Deputy will understand that the non-denominational dimension is covered at second level under the new VEC, vocational education committee, community college model.

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