Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Much of the information is being given to us from the schools on condition that a certain degree of confidentiality is maintained. I have to consider that request if we are to have a meaningful discussion on the issue prior to the budget.

The programme for Government contains a commitment to a provision for diversity in the education system. There is diversity in many directions dating back to before the foundation of the State when all second level schools had a contract with it which ensured teachers' salaries were paid in all schools. The payment of salaries was in return for schools teaching the State's curriculum, including for the intermediate certificate examination, as it was known at one time, and all subsequent examinations.

As Deputy Charles Flanagan stated, in the 1960s Donagh O'Malley introduced free education. The deal was simple: if schools voluntarily chose to enter the scheme, they would forgo the fees they charged in return for a capitation grant which, in theory, was supposed to replace their lost income. There was a scale of fees for different kinds of schools across the country, with which everybody was familiar. Because of the scattered and low density nature of the reformed church community, a special provision was made for that community whereby in order for it to administer a free fees scheme, it received a block grant, to which Deputy Charles Flanagan referred, which it administered in its own way. That system has been operated since the 1960s and there are no proposals to change it. The remaining schools are of the Catholic tradition of varying size in various parts of the country. As I stated, we have asked them to indicate to us what their income is and what it is used for - for example, whether it underwrites the cost of new buildings or is used to pay for additional services and tuition. We are in the process of completing the examination and will then consider what options, if any, are open to us.

No section of the budget has been ring-fenced or is sacrosanct other than what is protected by the Croke Park agreement. That will remain the case until a new deal is put in place. If there is to be a new deal, it is up to all involved to decide what they want to put on the table.

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