Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste's clarity on that matter and I share his views on the work of the committee and its Chair. I wish to raise another matter. It is six months since the Minister for Education and Skills set out an approach to remove religion as a criterion in the school admissions process. This was after a public consultation process which ran from January until March. It is 18 months since the Dáil debated the Labour Party Bill on the issue which was produced by my colleague, Deputy Burton. Despite taking a year, the Bill passed to the committee last summer but we are halfway through another school year with no progress having been made on this agreed change. In January, schools across the country will finalise the intakes for next year. That means another year will have passed without action. Very simply, when will we see legislation on this matter? Will the Minister advance his own proposals or allow the Labour Party Bill to proceed to enactment?

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