Ivana Bacik (Independent)

Senator Darragh O'Brien also referred to minority faith schools. He will be aware that last year the Minister established the forum on patronage and pluralism in the primary sector which was set up, with a buy-in by the patrons of all schools, specifically to consider how diversity could be accommodated in the school system. I attended a public meeting of the forum in November and its chairman, Professor Coolahan, made it clear that one of his key concerns was to ensure stand-alone schools in rural areas, even those of a particular faith, would be inclusive of all faiths.