asked the Minister for Education if he has received a request to receive a deputation from the Firhouse Democratic School Project; the date of receipt of such request; if he will accede to it; and, if so, when.

Such a request was received on 16 January last and I am arranging for officials of my Department to meet representatives of the group on a mutually convenient date.

Arising out of the Minister's reply and various statements he and the Minister for Education have made in regard to the importance of parental choice, will he explain why the Firhouse Democratic School Project will apparently receive different and inferior treatment from that afforded to the Dalkey school project and Marley school project the protagonists of which met the Minister in person?

I cannot indicate whether or not the Minister or any officials from the Department met the representatives of the other schools before they ultimately met the Minister. I do not know but I would assume—I have not discussed this with the Minister because of his absence abroad—that he would treat all groups in the same fashion and, presumably, if at a later date this group are anxious to meet him he will meet the group in the same way as he has met other groups.

May I take it from that reply that exactly the same criteria would be adopted by the Minister in deciding to meet this particular parents' group as that adopted in relation to the other two groups I mentioned?

Here I would be only basing my comment on my knowledge of the Minister and, as I said, he would not discriminate against any group and presumably he would do the same for this group as he has done for others.

Question No. 35 is for written answer and Question No. 36 is postponed.