Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State made some valid points in his reply, with which I largely agree, including that there are shortcomings in the league table system as currently set out. Similar comment has been made about it in previous years.

Despite the shortcomings of the system, what is indisputable is that those who attend private second level fee paying schools are virtually guaranteed a place in university to the disadvantage of those who do not have the financial resources to attend these schools. I believe in fairness in education. I do not, and have never, had any dispute with the existence of private schools. However, private schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England are not subsidised by the State. Why should Irish taxpayers have to pay for an elite collection of schools when taxpayers in our neighbouring jurisdictions do not? Essentially, this €100 million per annum in funding is a top-up to allow privileges to these schools, to which most families cannot afford to send their children.

The Minister of State and I have spoken about the democratic revolution, on which I will not comment further. While I believe in reform I believe more in fairness. There is no fairness in this system.

See this speech in context