Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I will conclude. It is quite extraordinary that the Minister would do that. She said the next Government will do this. That is passing the buck on a grand scale. It is also saying to parents who find themselves in that situation that it is too bad, it is their hard luck and they will have to wait until some future Government might have the courage to address this area of discrimination.

I put it to the Minister of State present that by agreeing to amendment No. 1 he can address this issue very simply and in a very straightforward way and deal with that net point purely on the grounds that it is unacceptable that schools should be allowed to discriminate against four and five year olds on the grounds of religion specifically. The Minister of State knows that is not on, that it is not acceptable and that it is wrong. I call on him and his Government colleagues to do the right thing.

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