asked the Minister for Education whether he can state how many schools other than national schools are registered for the purposes of the School Attendance Act, and whether the use of English in the infants' classes in these schools is prohibited.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Registered Schools.
There are 211 schools other than national schools certified as suitable schools under the School Attendance Act. It is not necessarily required as a condition of certification that English should not be used in the infants' classes in these schools, but where the teachers are sufficiently qualified in Irish my Department expects that in accordance with the provisions of the programme for primary education the work in the infants' classes will be entirely in Irish.
What is the Minister's reason for this discrimination between the registered schools and the national schools?
There is no discrimination.
Is it not true that the use of English is prohibited in the infant classes of the national schools? The Minister tells us it is not prohibited in the other schools. Is not that so? Surely the Minister will tell us whether it is not the case that the use of English is prohibited in the infant classes of the national schools, but permitted in the infant classes of the registered schools referred to in my question? That does mean discrimination between the two classes of schools. Is not that so?