Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 May 2018
68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are facilities or schemes to financially aid pupils of minority faiths who are not within commuting distance of a non-Catholic secondary school to attend schools with boarding fees; and if so, the facility or grant available. [22949/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is a historic block grant provided to the minority faith Protestant churches.
It is provided through a mechanism put in place by the Protestant churches, the Secondary Education Committee (SEC) whose function is to support the children of minority Protestant faith in accessing education.
The SEC operates a means-tested student support scheme that enables necessitous children of the Protestant community to attend a Post-Primary school whose ethos accords with their faith traditions, including if applicable a boarding school.
