Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is something we should include. It is not the exclusive model. We will have the Educate Together model, the gaelscoil model, some denominational models and so on. Diversity, with different education offerings to parents who want different things, is the right approach.

On the issue of the Equal Status Act, it was not considered in the admissions Bill that was introduced during the last Government and it will not be part of the admissions Bill that I will publish soon, but the Dáil will have to debate its approach to this. There is constitutional protection for religions within our constitution and the last Oireachtas committee recognised that there is a difficulty here. That has to be recognised. The Equal Status Act provides, and we will provide in the admissions Bill, that a denominational school must accept a non-denominational child, but if the school is oversubscribed that may not be the case, and 20% of schools are oversubscribed. This is a matter on which I will consult with other Oireachtas Members and we will be able to debate it in the Oireachtas.

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