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

I am pleased to inform the Deputy so as to ensure he understands exactly what is happening. I have treated the Protestant bishops and any other group who have met me with the respect and fairness due to them and certainly the equity that was desired. This answer has been cleared by the Attorney General. He believes that to continue the grant that was available would be unconstitutional because it was being given to the Protestant denomination and being refused to the Catholic denomination.

The Deputy accused me of breaking what was an agreement between the then Minister for Education, Donogh O'Malley, and the Protestant churches. I say to him that I am not breaching that agreement.

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