Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On Deputy Jim Daly's concluding point, he need not inform the House that he has the benefit of independence of thought. Certainly, the Taoiseach is quite aware that Deputy Jim Daly has the benefit of independence of thought and the Deputy does not need to spell that out for the Minister, Deputy Bruton.

My colleague and party spokesperson already outlined our party's support for this Bill. We support the overall thrust of the legislation, which will make it a requirement for schools to publish their admissions policies. I welcome that. I hope that, unlike on previous occasions when this matter was dealt with in the House, we will not be obliged to return to consider a similar Bill at a later stage. I also hope that the Minister will give a commitment to the full passage of this legislation through in the Dáil and the Seanad and that, in fact, it will become law.

The matter at issue here affects some areas more than others. In rural areas such as that from which I come in the heart of County Westmeath - and in which I attended a one-teacher national school - it was not an issue of the school being oversubscribed. It was not an issue of who was to be selected to go to that school. The issue was whether enough pupils would attend in order to keep the school open. In the previous Dáil, the disproportionate increase in the pupil-teacher ratio had an immense effect on smaller schools. I refer to those schools with fewer than four teachers and minority faith schools. The increase in the pupil-teacher ratio made it more difficult for these schools to keep their doors open. The schools in question would not have turned anybody away because, as I stated, their goal was to enrol as many children as possible in order to keep their doors open.

One of the big omissions from this Bill is a provision to deal with the practice people needing to supply baptismal certificates. As a practising Catholic who went to a Catholic national school and Catholic secondary school and who has nothing but the height of praise for what the religious did in education - there was certainly a lot of negativity and that was well documented through various investigations and reports - I must acknowledge, on the whole, the good work done by the various religious orders in the schools. However, as a republican, I also must acknowledge that not everybody wants to have his or her son or daughter educated in a school of a particular faith. Nobody should be forced, against his or her will, to adopt a particular faith just to have access to what is a fundamental right, namely, the right to an education. This matter will not be dealt with in the legislation but it needs to be dealt with without delay.

Some people may believe that a greater need exists - and that this is happening on a larger scale - than is actually the case. One of the Minister's predecessors, Mr. Quinn, set a target of divesting 50 schools from the control of the Catholic Church. The matter went out to consultation with local communities and as sizeable majority of people did not want what was proposed. That target - or anything like it - was never achieved. This is not the significant issue that some make it out to be but is an issue for a certain people in our communities and it must be dealt with. Nobody should be forced to adopt a particular religion just to have access to education. When the Minister is replying, he should outline, quite clearly, how he intends to deal with this matter.

A welcome aspect of this legislation is the prohibiting of application fees. It is becoming common practice in many schools to charge application fees. They are not charging application fees out of spite or to get at the parents or cause them undue financial hardship. They are charging application fees because the State is not adequately resourcing schools in terms of the various capitation grants. We have all seen evidence of this. Schools are undertaking cake sales, fashion shows, cycles, walks, runs - you name it. It is not the job of school authorities to fund-raise. While the Minister is bringing in a prohibition on application fees - which is right and proper because such fees place undue financial hardship on families who have been put to the pin of their collar as matters stand - we must also ensure that the level of resources is increased sufficiently in order that schools can function without the need to engage in any fund-raising.

Another welcome provision in the legislation relates to the powers that will be given to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. It is regrettable to see a child who has been born with either an intellectual or physical need being unable to access an appropriate setting. It is right and proper that the Department will have the authority to direct schools to admit these children and ensure that they get their basic right to an education, so they are not penalised because they happen to have been born with a disability. Again, however, as with the case of removing the ability to charge fees, this provision will do no good unless adequate resources are put in place. Adequate resource hours and special needs assistants must be put in place in the school to ensure that not only will the child with the disability get the additional resources required, but also that the rest of the students, who benefit from having somebody with a disability in the classroom from the point of view of social inclusion, will not be put at a disadvantage because the teacher will have to spend more time dealing with the child who needs additional time.

In that context, I wish to raise the position in the capital programme of a school in my constituency, something I have raised numerous times in this and the last Dáil terms. We are discussing admission to school, equality and ensuring that all citizens are treated fairly. Saplings Special School in Mullingar, in my constituency of Longford-Westmeath, deals with children who have severe autism difficulties. It is currently operating out of a private rented facility. It is doing fantastic work. The school invited all Deputies and prospective Deputies to visit it in advance of the last general election and gave us a tour. I had been to the school previously but that was my most recent visit. We met the teachers, parents and students and saw the level of engagement, care, attention and good work taking place with children with severe physical and intellectual disabilities. That gives them a start in life. Unfortunately, however, the project for that school is sitting on a list on a desk somewhere in the Department. We need special schools because some children, due to their level of need and disability, require a special setting. They will never be able to enter mainstream education so they need those facilities.

Saplings Special School in Mullingar is waiting on the list, as is St. Mary's Special School in Delvin which also deals with children with severe high dependency due to physical and intellectual disability. St. Mary's is waiting for a new site and new school. An uncertain future hangs over the schools because they do not know what is happening. That puts undue pressure on the principals, teachers and staff of both schools. It also puts undue pressure on the parents. I am sure some of the Minister's colleagues in the Government will have brought this to his attention. I ask him to look into the matter and refer back to me. In the interest of equity and fairness, these children deserve a new school. They have no alternative and should be prioritised in that regard.

Our party welcomes the Bill and will support it. However, I have outlined the issues I have with respect to having a baptismal certificate and the area of special educational needs. It is welcome that there will be the power to instruct a school to admit somebody, but if that is not met with adequate resources it will not work. I would appreciate it if the Minister would examine the two cases I mentioned in my constituency and refer back to me on them.

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