Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill. It is a copy, save in two respects, of the Bill that was worked on by two of my colleagues, the former Ministers Deputy Jan O'Sullivan and former Deputy Ruairí Quinn.

During the previous Government, very few issues which were as divisive as the issues reflected or, in some cases, not reflected in the Bill. I recall, and the Minister will recall, how divisive some of the discussions were. The Bill and the issues surrounding it speak to how much Ireland has changed since the national school system was introduced in the 19th century. On many occasions I looked around the Cabinet table and saw how many people were products of very exclusive and expensive secondary schools. The Cabinet debated the rights of children of former pupils to access their parents' schools, their fathers' schools for the most part, given that many of Ireland's private schools are top of the range boys' schools. Many of the Ministers, including those in the current Government, attended those schools. Before the last election, there was a very vocal and lively campaign to ensure these schools would retain the privilege of guaranteeing access, in whole or in part, to the children, grandchildren and relatives of former pupils. However, Ireland has changed.

I have the pleasure and honour of representing Dublin West, which has a range of schools, including a number of private schools and a very large number of public schools. All the schools are funded by the State, and this is why the issue of who gains access to schools is so important. I agree with many of the comments by Fianna Fáil Members, and there was much empathy and sympathy with the situation in which parents find themselves when their children, for reasons of denomination, religion or otherwise, cannot access their local schools.

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