asked the Minister for Education whether he proposes to modify the method of appointing trustees to community schools as previously announced.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Community Schools.
22.
The arrangements have been modified to provide that the trustees will be appointed by the Minister for Education on the nomination of the school authorities involved.
23.
asked the Minister for Education whether he has had recent consultations with representatives of the Church of Ireland or Presbyterian education interests concerning community schools; and whether he will make a statement on the outcome of such consultations.
Despite allegations to the contrary by the Deputy there have been on numerous occasions consultations with every interest, including those mentioned in the question. Surely the successful outcome of these consultations is now there for all to see.
Could I ask the Minister if he would give a reference to statements by me that there were not consultations? I do not recall ever saying this except in relation to community schools in the period prior to the original decision being announced.
On many occasions the Deputy alleged that I was refusing to meet various groups and I stated that I was meeting the various groups and the Deputy persisted in maintaining that.
I say to the Minister that, in fact, that is not correct. Apart from his failure to consult the Protestant interests before announcing community schools, I made no such allegation and, indeed, I have found the Minister himself more than cooperative when I have asked him to meet delegations and I would be the last person to accuse him of refusing to meet delegations.
Could I ask the Minister when was the last occasion that he met the interests stipulated?
Representatives of the Church of Ireland? Very recently. I just cannot remember the exact date.
Last Thursday?
Tuesday.
Last Tuesday week I think.
Following pretty strenuous and constructive opposition on the part of Deputy FitzGerald and Labour Deputies and following a considerable change of heart—in fact, we have had five different sets of proposals in relation to community schools —I am glad to know we are improving all the time. Would the Minister not agree that the community concerned, the Church of Ireland community, have received some extra new assurances which are an improvement on the general situation?
I do not agree that it has anything at all to do with the opposition, the purely political type of opposition, of the Deputies concerned. Nothing. I should like to emphasise further what I have stated on numerous occasions—that the proposals which I issued were my own proposals, that I would not be inflexible in regard to them, that I would change them if I thought fit and I have proved conclusively now to those who might have had any doubts as to whether they were my proposals or not that they should have no doubt but that from the beginning the proposals were, in fact, mine.
Would the Minister not agree——
We cannot discuss this question. We have quite a number of questions. Could we make some progress on some day here?
Would the Minister not agree that it is quite extraordinary for a Minister, particularly a Minister for Education, to change his mind on community schools on five different occasions, improving the situation all the time? We welcome such a big climb down on the part of the Minister.
The point I am making is that it was suggested by the Deputies opposite that these were not my proposals, that I would not be able to change them.
When was that ever suggested? Give us the reference.
I have made it clear that they are my proposals and that I could change them and I have changed them.
Would the Minister please state on what occasion and by whom it was said that they were not his proposals?
I am calling Question No. 24.