asked the Minister for the Public Service whether he is aware that nuns do not qualify for pensions in respect of service in the State-aided agricultural colleges and if he will now take steps to remove this discrimination.

I am aware that the pension scheme for State-aided agricultural colleges at present applies only to lay teachers in those colleges. The question of allowing religious teachers to become members of the scheme was considered in the past but was rejected. I will, however, arrange to have this question re-examined in the context of certain amendments to the scheme which are currently under consideration.

Is the Minister of State aware of a similar case in relation to the Department of Education, the Molloy case, in which discrimination against a teacher on the grounds of his religious profession was held to be unconstitutional and will the Minister agree that there is a parallel between the two and that the Government would do better to be generous now than to be forced into the situation of putting the matter right by a Supreme Court case?

I am not aware of the case to which the Deputy refers. This matter was last considered in 1975 and was rejected.

Will the Minister consider the matter again or does he regard is as a closed book?

I am considering the matter again.