andDr. FitzGerald asked the Minister for Education if he will make a statement on the constitutional and legal rights of parents with regard to the education of their children.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rights of Parents.
64.
The constitutional position is that the State is obliged to provide for free primary education. I am sure that the Deputies appreciate that this does not involve the provision being made in a particular school and that it can be made through the operation of transport.
Can the Minister say why his answer includes nothing about the constitutional rights of parents to choose the school they send their children to, as settled in a constitutional action about 25 years ago?
I fully accept that parents have the right to send their children to whatever school they choose, but I am not obliged to provide free transport to any particular school.
Why in reply to this question which reads: "To ask the Minister for Education if he will make a statement on the constitutional and legal rights of parents with regard to the education of their children", did the Minister suppress any reference to this constitutional right which was established by our courts 25 years ago?
I anticipated that the Deputy was likely to raise that particular question as a supplementary.