Is the Minister aware that children of parents living in the Republic, particularly in Border counties, who go to secondary schools in Northern Ireland for traditional or other reasons are deprived of the benefits of higher education? They are unable to sit the leaving certificate examinations because the examinations in their own schools take place at the same time?

That is a separate question.

It is not a separate question.

The Deputy might put down a question.

I am asking the question——

Question No. 11 relates to comparability academically between two certificates.

I beg to differ from you. The question relates to the leaving certificate being freely recognised in Northern Ireland and England as a comparable academic qualification to the GCE. I am dealing with that.

The Deputy is asking about pupils going to secondary schools in Northern Ireland. That is a separate question.

I am asking about the leaving certificate examination. I am saying to the Minister that children of parents living in the Republic go to secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Because of that they are deprived of higher educational benefits. They need four honours in their leaving certificate to qualify for grants for university purposes here. That is blatant discrimination. It is happening in the Minister's own constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. What does the Minister propose to do about it?

I do not know exactly what relevance the Deputy's supplementary has to the question I have been dealing with?

The Chair does not see any relevance.

The question of the allocation of grants has been decided on the basis of the leaving certificate.

The Minister is discriminating against people in his own constituency and in my constituency.

The Deputy's concern for the people in my constituency is touching but, I am afraid, slightly artificial.

Question No. 12.

It is blatant, outrageous discrimination against ordinary people who are being deprived of their educational rights. The Minister has no reply to that. He cannot deny it.

The Deputy is doing the gadfly.

The Minister cannot defend it because he knows I am telling the truth.

That is not happening.

The Minister knows I am telling the truth. He cannot defend it.

I was asked a question about the comparability of our leaving certificate examination. If the Deputy puts down a question about anything that is worrying him I will be only too pleased to answer it.

The Minister thinks that will get him off the hook. This is blatant discrimination against young people in Border areas.

To follow the fishing metaphor, if the Deputy wants to put me on the hook again I will wriggle off it.