Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps the Tánaiste could set out in more detail the Government's proposals for the religious criteria relating to school admissions. While the Minister for Educational and Skills, Deputy Bruton, has set out - in little detail - his preferred solution, he has said that there is a lot of work to do on the proposals with the Attorney General. What is the reality of these proposals if the Minister has simply given a policy preference that has not been worked on by the Attorney General? What are the chances that the proposals will ever appear in legislation? I do not recall any other situation where a Government Minister has come forward with a policy that, as he admits himself, must be worked on by the Attorney General. It is extraordinarily strange to do this on such a major issue. Will the Tánaiste outline if there is any practical reality of legislation being introduced in this area?

See this speech in context