Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for his remarks. I will certainly relate his views to the Minister, Deputy Bruton. The reply states the case has been submitted to the Department by Educate Together and is currently under consideration. That is the gist of the reply. The Department is considering the case made and I certainly hope that, because the initiative is important, it will look favourably on allowing the schools to expand. I hope the process will be rolled out further. I believe that is also the view of the Minister. If we were designing the country again, we might not have so much church patronage of schools. Perhaps there should not be any patronage except patronage by the Department of Education and Skills, but that is not where we are now. We must deal with the facts as they exist in terms of religious orders owning school buildings across the country. The divestment process, although enjoying widespread support, is not as easy as one would have hoped.

The case has been submitted to the Department and is under consideration. I certainly hope there will be a positive outcome for the schools in question.