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

As Deputy Howlin well knows, the admissions Bill developed originally by his party's Minister and then published by the Government did not contain any provision to change the rules on admission on grounds of religion. Indeed, the Bill also did not contain any provision to allow the Department to designate schools which should open special autistic spectrum disorder, ASD, units. The consensus in the committee which discussed the Bill was that we should bring forward amendments in those two areas. I have developed proposals to do so which are currently with the Attorney General. I will bring the proposals to the House at the very earliest opportunity. The Deputy will appreciate that there are complicated constitutional issues involved in the drafting of this legislation and we must be careful to get it right. I assure the Deputy that there is no unnecessary delay.

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