asked the Minister for Education if he will take steps to ensure that all principalships in post-primary schools, which are remunerated by his Department, are adequately advertised and filled as a result of interviews and selection procedures, which do not discriminate against any candidate, on the grounds of his or her religious status.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Post-Primary School Principalships.
22.
: Secondary schools are private institutions. The appointment of the principal teacher is a matter within the competence of the authorities of the school.
In the case of appointments to posts as principals in vocational, comprehensive and community schools, I am satisfied that the present regulations provide for appropriate advertising and selection procedures. There is no discrimination on the grounds of religious status.
: Would the Minister not agree that the fact that there are only about half a dozen lay principals in the 530 secondary schools throughout the country is a little bit more than coincidence and would he not see his way to doing something about that?
: As I have stated, the legal position is that those schools are private intitutions and consequently the appointment of the principal teacher is a matter within the competence of the authorities of the school. My private view is that I would hope that more and more principalships would be held by lay people.
: Would the Minister not accept that his private view is irrelevant here in the performance of a public office? Has he taken legal advice on the constitutionality or otherwise of the effective reservation of these posts to people of a particular religious status?
: There is a legal opinion in my office and it states that the present method is in accordance with the Constitution.
: Can the Minister give us any indication if or when he will translate his private thoughts into public actions on this matter?
: The private thoughts of the Minister have exactly the same relevance as the private thoughts of the Deputy. The Deputy tries sometimes to generalise from his own private thoughts as well.
: The Minister is not privy to my private thoughts.
: The Minister referred to secondary schools being private institutions. While allowing for the pro-ability that most of these appointments are very fine appointments, I would ask the Minister whether as a matter of principle, in the knowledge that the total salaries of these vice-principals and all school staff are paid by the State, he feels he has a statutory and a moral obligation to interest himself in the conditions under which these people work?
: Is it the total salary?
: Of the vice-principlas in the secondary schools?
: Including the £400?
: Yes. The vast majority of them would not quibble about the £400 which is paid as a grant to the schools anyway. Although 95 per cent of the salaries of secondary school teachers are paid by the State the Minister says that secondary schools are private institutions.
: I am calling Question No. 23. We cannot have argument.
: I did not get a question from the Deputy.
: The Minister has a statutory and moral responsibility to interest himself in the conditions of teachers whose salaries he, on behalf of the community, is paying.
: I would distinguish between "statutory" and "moral". According to the reply I have given, those schools are private institutions and they appoint their principals. According to the answer to Deputy Horgan's supplementary, they are within their constitutional rights in doing so.
: Would the Minister tell the House whether he is keeping a ministerial eye on developments in the courts regarding the Maynooth case and will he take the judgment of that case into consideration?
: I do not know anything about it.
: I am calling Question No. 23.
: When I ask a final supplementary?
: No, we have had enough now.
: Does the Minister accept that the principals of secondary schools have a joint responsibility with regard to the employment of staff?
: That was not the Deputy's supplementary. He is talking through his hat.
(Interruptions.)
: I suffer fools gladly.
: On a point of order, is it in order to refer to people as fools?
: I was quoting from St. Paul. If the Deputy does not want the quote from St. Paul I will withdraw it.
(Interruptions.)
: Order, please. Deputy Keating is being quite disorderly.