Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Within the last while in Dundalk, County Louth and across the State, parents have made applications for their primary school children to get a place in secondary schools. Unfortunately, a number of those in Dundalk and its environs have had to make contact with me. I will go through these very quickly.

My daughter got rejected. We are absolutely devastated.

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My son has not been selected for any school for next year.

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My son is now the only boy from his soccer team, Gaelic team and hurling team that does not have a school place for next year. A lot of his friends have had multiple offers.

Here is the crux of the matter:

Surely this could be changed to a process more like the CAO, where kids can put their choices in order of preference and each child be allocated one school place.

That has been done in certain places - I am not saying perfectly - and it needs to be looked at.

If the Tánaiste would allow me a certain element of flexibility, does he have an update in relation to the pension case of John McNeela, the father of Michael McNeela who was killed in Lebanon? In an answer to a parliamentary question, he said this may or may not require legislative change. I know he is committed to dealing with it but we would obviously like to get it dealt with as soon as possible.

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