Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I did not ask the Minister to issue a diktat, to quote her own phrase. I asked her to act on the information volunteered to her and her Department, namely, that if a person requested the option it would be granted. I simply ask for that negative to be turned into a positive. In other words, a person does not have to ask but can avail of the option if he or she wants to because the provision is explicitly there. It is not an off-the-menu item which can be obtained if one asks for it. It should be an on-the-menu item for a student, who if he or she qualifies to be accepted into any of the five colleges, should be able to say, "By the way, I don't want to participate in the faith formation component of the curriculum offered here".

Will the Minister, in advance of the Attorney General's advice, concerning which I believe he will be consistent as shown in the Protestant grant component being removed on his constitutional advice, act so that the same advice will prevail? In order to prevent some difficulties of a much more substantial kind I respectfully suggest that the Minister invite the colleges to make explicit what they have told her is implicit in their handling of this issue.

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