Vol. 413 No. 6
137 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Education whether any consultations or meetings were held between his Department and representatives of the Catholic hierarchy, on the proposed Green Paper on Education; if so, if he will outline the substance of these talks; and whether the issue of State subsidisation or the role of religion in education were discussed.
The Green Paper will be a discussion document designed to initiate a process of consultation and dialogue leading to a policy White Paper and later an Education Act. Accordingly no formal consultation or meetings have taken place on the Green Paper with any of the concerned interests in advance of its publication. In the course of the regular meetings, which take place on an ongoing basis between the Department and representatives of the various uconcerned interests, e.g. teachers, parents and school managers, groups would occassionally have expressed their general views in relation to the Green Paper. However the Department have not engaged in any detailed or specific discussions with any group except to emphasise that all interests will have ample opportunity to make their views known following the publications of the Green Paper.
