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

I am sympathetic to the case the Deputy has made in that Bill but I am conscious that the previous Oireachtas education committee, which conducted pre-legislative scrutiny of the Education (Admissions to School) Bill 2015, acknowledged the potential tensions between articles of the Constitution relating to education and religion and concluded that it poses a particular difficulty when legislating in this policy area. The Deputy's Bill has sought to steer a way through that but it is important we make sure it is robust and that there are not unintended consequences as a result of this proposal. This is why the incoming education committee should be given a period to hold hearings on the legislation and to assess it.

In reply to Deputy Byrne, I acknowledged that it is unfair if a school is going outside an area to recruit coreligionists while those close to it are not given an opportunity. It is only fair, though, to acknowledge that 80% of schools are not oversubscribed and the admissions Bill would have made it obligatory for denominational schools that are not oversubscribed to accept all those who apply. There is provision in that Bill to deal with one aspect of this but the Deputy has raised another aspect and I look forward to discussing the Bill later. It is to be hoped we can advance on that basis.

See this speech in context