Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

The Minister is not ruling out the possibility of an increase in the block grant. This is the means through which the State currently allows children from poorer Protestant backgrounds to go to these schools on a geographical basis. As the Minister is aware, many counties in the Twenty-Six Counties do not have post-primary ethos-led education for those children. Perhaps the Minister will give a fuller explanation to the House of the potential for the proposal I am making, that we consider an increase in the block grant administered by the SEC as a means of making up the difference for the amount taken from these schools as a result of the Minister's budgetary measures last year. Will the Minister comment on my proposal?

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