Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The schools were told they would be got at by the Department of Education and Science. The Taoiseach has direct responsibility for Northern Ireland relations and for good relations between all the churches. These are issues we discuss in the House occasionally. This is a matter in respect of which the Taoiseach should step in, overrule the Minister for Education and Science, who has made an almighty mess of the matter, and reinstate the grants, as Deputy Hayes pointed out yesterday. We do not want claims of sectarianism or discrimination or upheaval considering that the Protestant ethos in this Republic has been recognised and the Protestant minority has been treated fairly by all Governments since the late Donogh O'Malley introduced his free education scheme. This is an issue with which the Taoiseach can deal this morning. In his reply, he can state he will instruct the Minister for Education and Science to restore to fee-paying Protestant schools the grants that have been allocated to them for the past 40 years. It is not an issue concerning the Department of Finance but one of a mood and environment within the Department of Education and Science resulting in an effort to get at Protestant schools. I do not support that and neither should the Taoiseach. I would like him to deal with it now.

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