Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to be fair here. I know the Deputy is fully invested in this process and very supportive of increasing the number of multi-denominational schools we have. The pilot covers 63 different schools and there is no doubt that it has reaped benefits in some areas. The basis of the pilot is that everybody is consulted, and a facilitator is accommodating that, and everybody gets an opportunity to express their view. The report is then formulated at the end. I will be honest and say the process has worked better in some areas than in others. It has been protracted and challenging in some areas and less so in others. For this reason, there will be a full and comprehensive review of how the process has worked, what changes can be made and what can be retained where it worked well.

It is also important to acknowledge in this debate that of the 53 new primary schools inaugurated, 52 are multi-denominational and of the 50 new post-primary schools, 44 are multi-denominational. We are making progress. Where there have been issues with pilots, the full review will give us an opportunity to correct them in future. The pilots have been successful in some areas.

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