Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I am very grateful to hear the Minister is open to the expansion of this scheme. I appreciate what she has said. I believe the take-up would be strong among all schools if the eligibility criteria were extended. I understand entirely that no resource is infinite and the Government has to spend money where it is needed most. I welcome the Minister's commitment to engaging with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on possibly expanding the scheme before its conclusion.

There is a danger we perceive private schools as being schools with lots of money. The Minister will know there are many private schools, particularly those that address a minority need, whether a religious or other need, that charge fees but are not wealthy schools. The patrons, parents and families of those schools are not necessarily wealthy. They may be fee-paying or private schools but they still have limited resources. If this scheme is to work well, it should be rolled out to all schools.

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